All Comprehensive level elements

Expanded self-guided content, practice sessions, shadowing, exercises, and more

150 supervised practicum hours

Immerse yourself in peer support, with coaching feedback after every shift

Monthly 1:1 coaching meetings

Accelerate your non-carceral peer support practice with personalized care

What people are saying

Wondering if this certificate program is right for you? Hear others' experiences!

”
This program taught me more about the intersections of mental health and multiply marginalized identities than any academic setting. It showed me how support takes shape in real, human ways that work for real people, not just clinical models. I developed practical skills and came to see vulnerability as a strength, ultimately solidifying my goal to pursue a future in community-rooted mental health care.
~K. H.

 

”
Overall I loved this program! I really appreciated the examples. They’re very interactive and realistic. In particular contrasting different examples of suicidal supportees and what they might need based on key words and tone of the message was so helpful. I also appreciated the section on repairing ruptures. And it was placed towards the end so it felt like finetuning the foundations that were laid out in the beginning super well.
~A. A.

 

”
The structure of this program really addresses diff learning styles. I liked how I could read something, then watch a video, reinforce my learning with a quiz, and then practice and get feedback. It felt very full circle. The examples were super helpful along with the charts. And then to have reflection questions for us and further practice in the weekly assignments was sooo helpful.
~G. C.

 

Curriculum

19 Chapters · 139 Lessons

  1. 1

    Week 1: Onboarding

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      1.0: Week 1 Objectives

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      1.1 Course Introduction

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      1.2 Orientation

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      1.3 Non-Carceral Collaborators Coaching Group

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      1.4 Quiz 1

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      1.5 Peer Support Shift Manual

    7. (Included in full purchase)

      1.6 Organizational Policies

    8. (Included in full purchase)

      1.7 Discord Navigation

    9. (Included in full purchase)

      1.8 Video: Discord Navigation

    10. (Included in full purchase)

      1.9 Non-Carceral Support Review

    11. (Included in full purchase)

      1.10 Video: Non-Carceral Support

    12. (Included in full purchase)

      1.11 Quiz 2: Non-Carceral Support

    13. (Included in full purchase)

      1.12: Peer Support Group

    14. (Included in full purchase)

      1.13 Onboarding Questionnaire

    15. (Included in full purchase)

      1.14 Practice Session

    16. Preview Video: Intro to Peer Support Free preview
  2. 2

    Week 2: Peer Support Basics

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      2.0: Week 2 Objectives

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      2.1 What is Peer Support?

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      2.2 Peer Support Scope

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      2.3 Video: Intro to Peer Support

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      2.4 Quiz 1

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      2.5 How to Provide Peer Support

    7. (Included in full purchase)

      2.6 Self-Disclosure and Soft-Sharing

    8. (Included in full purchase)

      2.7 How to Write Peer Supportive Messages

    9. (Included in full purchase)

      2.8 Examples of Peer Supportive Messages

    10. (Included in full purchase)

      2.9 Example 1: Short Message Exchange

    11. (Included in full purchase)

      2.10 Example 2: Singular Response

    12. (Included in full purchase)

      2.11 Example 3: Later Check In

    13. (Included in full purchase)

      2.12 Example 4: Offering Ideas

    14. (Included in full purchase)

      2.13 Video: Peer Support Examples

    15. (Included in full purchase)

      2.14 Quiz 2

    16. (Included in full purchase)

      2.15 Shadowing Session

    17. (Included in full purchase)

      2.16 Exercise Set

    18. (Included in full purchase)

      2.17 Practice Session

  3. 3

    Week 3: HOLDing Space Basics

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      3.0: Week 3 Objectives

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      3.1 HOLDing Safer Spaces

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      3.2 What Does it Mean to HOLD Space?

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      3.3 Characteristics of HOLDing Space

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      3.4 Video: HOLD Model Part 1

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      3.5 Video: HOLD Model Part 2

    7. (Included in full purchase)

      3.6 Quiz 1

    8. (Included in full purchase)

      3.7 Applying the HOLD Model

    9. (Included in full purchase)

      3.8 Examples: Humanizing Only

    10. (Included in full purchase)

      3.9 Examples: Sharing Ideas, Strategies, and Resources

    11. (Included in full purchase)

      3.10 Example: Relationship Building Over Time

    12. (Included in full purchase)

      3.11 Quiz 2

    13. (Included in full purchase)

      3.12 Shadowing Session

    14. (Included in full purchase)

      3.13 Exercise Set

    15. (Included in full purchase)

      3.14 Practice Session

  4. 4

    Week 4: Marginalization and Stigmatized Mental Health

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      4.0: Week 4 Objectives

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      4.1 Video: Marginalization and Mental Health

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      4.2 "Maladaptive" Coping Strategies

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      4.3 Depathologizing

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      4.4 Video: Depathologizing

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      4.5 Quiz 1

    7. (Included in full purchase)

      4.6 Talking About Suicide

    8. (Included in full purchase)

      4.7 Examples: Suicide and Trauma

    9. (Included in full purchase)

      4.8 Normalizing Stigmatized Experiences

    10. (Included in full purchase)

      4.9 Example of Normalizing Stigmatized Experiences

    11. (Included in full purchase)

      4.10 Video: Talking about Suicide

    12. (Included in full purchase)

      4.11 Quiz 2

    13. (Included in full purchase)

      4.12 Shadowing Session

    14. (Included in full purchase)

      4.13 Exercise Set

    15. (Included in full purchase)

      4.14 Practice Session

  5. 5

    Week 5: Relationship Building in Discord

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      5.0: Week 5 Objectives

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      5.1 Discord: Building relationships over time

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      5.2 Tips for Building relationships over time

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      5.3 Example of Building Relationships

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      5.4 Unsupportive Example of Building Relationships

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      5.5 Video: Building Relationships Over Time

    7. (Included in full purchase)

      5.6 Quiz 1

    8. (Included in full purchase)

      5.7 Breadcrumbs

    9. (Included in full purchase)

      5.8 Connection and Disconnection

    10. (Included in full purchase)

      5.9 Repairing Ruptures

    11. (Included in full purchase)

      5.10 Quiz 2

    12. (Included in full purchase)

      5.11 Video: Relationship-Building Skills

    13. (Included in full purchase)

      5.12 Mirroring Language

    14. (Included in full purchase)

      5.13 Self-Disclosure and Soft-Sharing

    15. (Included in full purchase)

      5.14 Instead of Saying...

    16. (Included in full purchase)

      5.15 Quiz 3

    17. (Included in full purchase)

      5.16 Shadowing Session

    18. (Included in full purchase)

      5.17 Exercise Set

    19. (Included in full purchase)

      5.18 Practice Session

  6. 6

    Week 6: Pre-Shift Preparation

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      6.0 Shadowing Session

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      6.1 1:1 Coaching Meeting

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      6.2 Summit Registration Information

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      6.3 Video: Getting Started with Peer Support Shifts

  7. 7

    Peer Support Shifts, Month 1

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      M1: Shift Reminders

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      M1: Peer Support Group

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      M1: Non-Carceral Coaching Group

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      M1: 1:1 Coaching Meeting

  8. 8

    Peer Support Shifts, Month 2

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      M2: Shift Reminders

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      M2: Peer Support Group

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      M2: Non-Carceral Coaching Group

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      M2: 1:1 Coaching Meeting

  9. 9

    Peer Support Shifts, Month 3

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      M3: Shift Reminders

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      M3: Peer Support Group

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      M3: Non-Carceral Coaching Group

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      M3: 1:1 Coaching Meeting

  10. 10

    Peer Support Shifts, Month 4

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      M4: Shift Reminders

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      M4: Peer Support Group

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      M4: Non-Carceral Coaching Group

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      M4: 1:1 Coaching Meeting

  11. 11

    Peer Support Shifts, Month 5

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      M5: Shift Reminders

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      M5: Peer Support Group

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      M5: Non-Carceral Coaching Group

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      M5: 1:1 Coaching Meeting

  12. 12

    Peer Support Shifts, Month 6

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      M6: Shift Reminders

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      M6: Peer Support Group

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      M6: Non-Carceral Coaching Group

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      M6: 1:1 Coaching Meeting

  13. 13

    Peer Support Shifts, Month 7

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      M7: Shift Reminders

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      M7: Peer Support Group

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      M7: Non-Carceral Coaching Group

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      M7: 1:1 Coaching Meeting

  14. 14

    Peer Support Shifts, Month 8

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      M8: Shift Reminders

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      M8: Peer Support Group

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      M8: Non-Carceral Coaching Group

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      M8: 1:1 Coaching Meeting

  15. 15

    Peer Support Shifts, Month 9

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      M9: Shift Reminders

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      M9: Peer Support Group

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      M9: Non-Carceral Coaching Group

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      M9: 1:1 Coaching Meeting

  16. 16

    Peer Support Shifts, Month 10

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      M10: Shift Reminders

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      M10: Peer Support Group

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      M10: Non-Carceral Coaching Group

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      M10: 1:1 Coaching Meeting

  17. 17

    Peer Support Shifts, Month 11

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      M11: Shift Reminders

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      M11: Peer Support Group

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      M11: Non-Carceral Coaching Group

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      M11: 1:1 Coaching Meeting

  18. 18

    Peer Support Shifts, Month 12

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      M12: Shift Reminders

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      M12: Peer Support Group

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      M12: Non-Carceral Coaching Group

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      M12: 1:1 Coaching Meeting

  19. 19

    Concluding Activities

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      CA Module Objectives

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      CA Reflection Questions

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      CA Next Steps

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      CA Testimonial

Master your peer support skills this year!

With access to one-on-one coaching, mentorship, a community-based practicum, and real-time feedback, you’ll step into your full capacity as a non-carceral peer support leader — grounded, skilled, and ready to guide others.

Enroll now Free preview

Instructor: Ryder Fox

Ryder Fox is the Founder and CEO of Stronger U and the President and Founder of THRIVE Lifeline. They are a nonbinary, queer, neurodivergent person living with multiple chronic illnesses. They also are a cult and violence survivor living with cPTSD and have navigated muteness, dissociative episodes, and chronic suicidality throughout their life. Ryder began working professionally with vulnerable populations in the late 1990s and founded Stronger U in 2007. They are passionate about supporting the too-oft dismissed needs of multiply marginalized people. Ryder has supported thousands of clients worldwide, which work propelled their founding of THRIVE Lifeline and educating hundreds of practitioners through a non-carceral lens that humanizes and uplifts supportees' expertise.