Thank you for Donating

4 counties peer to peer

No two peer support groups are the same—each is as unique as a snowflake or a finger print.
OhioCAN Peer to Peer support focuses on individuals in recovery as well as families. We honor all paths to recovery. We meet up and are overseen by a trained peer support specialist to talk with one another about their experiences, struggles and challenges. OhioCAN Peer to Peer becomes an anchor for them as they recover and develop skills to live more effectively in their communities. A peer support group is a freeing experience, as these individuals realize “I am not alone,” and hope and trust grow between them.

Giving Back

While men and women come to peer support groups for comfort and advice, they are often surprised to find a sense of worth through becoming a mentor to others—a feeling they might be experiencing for the first time. A person’s lived experience, which might have only been seen as a burden thus far, transforms into lessons of hope and accomplishment. Group members who have been ostracized and isolated and struggling for years can be viewed as a warrior—respected and emulated in their fight for a better life. Giving back provides worth and responsibility.

WHY OhioCAN Peer to Peer?

  • There are many benefits to peer support groups:

  • When someone doesn't know many - or any - other people who are going through what he is coping with, he can feel isolated and stigmatized. OhioCAN Peer to Peer helps people feel less alone and more understood.
  • OhioCAN Peer to Peer empowers people to work to solve their own problems.
  • Members can share information, keeping one another up to date on news of interest to them.
  • Among people who are experiencing similar problems, there is a unique emotional identification that is different from the type of support that can be gotten from professionals.
  • Members act as role models for each other. Seeing others who are contending with the same adversity and making progress in their lives is inspiring and encouraging.
  • OhioCAN Peer to Peer is a safe place for someone who needs to talk about intensely personal issues, experiences, struggles, and thoughts.
  • Talking to a counselor or doctor can be very intimidating for some people, because those relationships tend to place more power with the professional. In a support group, members are equals; this can make people feel much more comfortable opening up about their problems.
  • Talking to others reduces anxiety, improves self-esteem, and helps members' sense of well-being overall.
Treatment and recovery aren’t just about learning how to stop using drugs or alcohol. The recovery process is meant to give you a new perspective on life as well as a new experience. With OhioCAN Peer to Peer you’re going to learn how to have fun again because it’s important to understand that you don’t need to be drunk or high in order to have a good time. Through the bonds you create with others you’re going to experience great laughs and memories you’ll never forget.

community outreach

Community outreach is about giving, contributing, and helping those who cannot help themselves. Community outreach also allows us to influence those in recovery to give back to the community. It helps our communities grow in a substantial way. Not only does it make those involved with OhioCAN Peer to Peer feel good, but it brings the community together as a whole. Volunteering has proven to help boost the self-confidence of individuals, getting them out of their comfort zone and dealing with real-world problems. Many of the world's greatest movements were started by community outreach projects. OhioCAN knows a little goes a long way. Volunteering brings families and friends, neighbors and strangers and those impacted by substance use together.

Fun Times in Recovery

An integral part of Recovery involves embracing the opportunity to change and make a fresh start. Keeping a positive attitude and an open mind toward learning new things can turn recovery from a lot of hard work to something that can actually be a little enjoyable. So whenever possible, try to saying “yes” to new activities and opportunities. Even if the activities don’t sound like something you think you’ll like, you may be surprised. Keep yourself busy, establish a strong support network with OhioCAN 4 Counties Peer to Peer and surround yourself with other others in recovery—studies show that fun is enhanced when it’s experienced with others. Remind yourself that your brain needs time to recalibrate and rediscover what brings you joy.