Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 29, 2025

Involving Individuals with Developmental Language Disorder and Their Parents/Carers in Research Priority Setting
Published on: June 6, 2020
Critical Issues in Leadership Development for Peer Support Specialists
G Trey Jenkins1, Michael S Shafer2, Nicole Janich3
1Arizona State University Center for Applied Behavioral Health Policy, 618 N. Central Ave Suite 100, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA. g.trey.jenkins@asu.edu.
Abstract:
This paper is a qualitative analysis of perspectives on leadership development among working peer support specialists and highlights the challenges, needs and efficacy these individuals experience in their work settings. Six participants engaged in a 2 h semi-structured focus group. Participants were guided through a series of nine questions regarding their transition to leadership, professional communication and relationships. Seven themes emerged: managing dual relationships; having difficult conversations; push and pull of leadership; taking responsibility for others; taking responsibility for self-care; addressing stigma in the workplace, and, spirituality/a calling to help. These professionals integrate their personal experiences of recovery into their direct care and leadership approaches in the workplace. This blending of recovery concepts and supervision approaches reflect some of the powerful elements that peer recovery specialists are uniquely qualified to lead in the healthcare workforce. These findings provide important implications for leadership development among this growing segment of the healthcare workforce.
Related Concept Videos
Self-Help Support Groups
Accessibility and Cost-Effectiveness
One of the primary strengths of self-help...
Influence of Parents and Peers on Identity
Parental Influence on Identity Development
Parents serve as primary guides and managers in an adolescent's life, offering support instrumental in decision-making and personal growth....
Social Foundations of Self II: The Generalized Other
Impact of Individuals on a Group
Erikson's Theory on Socioemotional Development during Adolescence
Elements Crucial for Effective Psychotherapy
The Therapeutic Alliance
The therapeutic alliance refers to the relationship between the therapist and the client. The alliance strengthens when the therapist and the client engage in a nurturing, supportive, trusting, empathetic, and respectful relationship, improving therapeutic outcomes. Therapists must monitor this relationship...

