"Peer Support in Clinical versus Peer Led Settings" What are the strengths and challenges of both? Peer Support has become an acknowledged and valued addition to traditional mental health services. On the other handF peer-led programs (like Recover Learning Communities) have been around for almost 20 years now and offer peer support without the add-on…

About Major General Gregg F. Martin, PhD, US Army (Ret.), aka the BIPOLAR GENERAL, is a 36-year Army combat veteran, bipolar survivor, thriver, and warrior, and a retired two-star general. He commanded an engineer company and battalion, and the 130th Engineer Brigade during the first year of the Iraq War. A former president of the National…

About MJ Griego is a certified peer specialist and director of The Hope Center recovery learning center in Boston, which offers mental health recovery and community groups online and in person, as well as 1 on 1 support.  They have been interested in mental health and human connection from a young age, as well as…

About Laura Kaponer is originally from New York State. She relocated to South Carolina for the second time in 2015 after a difficult bout of depression. Walking into her first NAMI Connections meeting was truly a turning point in her recovery. For the next three years, her involvement waxed and waned based on where she…

About My name is Mary Phillips and I currently work at the BMC as a peer specialist.  We have support groups that people can come in person or join on zoom.  I am trained in three NAMI programs; NAMI IOOV, NAMI connections and NAMI peer to peer.  I began my journey to become a peer…