Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Practice Exam

What approach should a Peer Support Specialist take when someone expresses discouragement due to a relapse?

1. Encourage them to give up on their recovery

2. Disclose their own experience with setbacks in their recovery

3. Minimize the significance of the relapse

4. Suggest they seek professional help immediately

The correct answer is: Disclose their own experience with setbacks in their recovery

When someone expresses discouragement due to a relapse, sharing personal experiences of setbacks provides a powerful means of support and validation. This approach allows the individual to see that they are not alone in their struggles, as many people face challenges along their recovery journey. By disclosing their own experiences, the Peer Support Specialist can create a sense of connection and understanding, which is crucial for building trust and rapport. This sharing fosters an environment where the person feels safe to express their feelings and concerns without judgment. It promotes hope by illustrating that recovery is often a process filled with ups and downs, and that setbacks do not define one's entire journey. This empathetic approach can empower the individual to reframe their relapse as a learning opportunity rather than a failure, encouraging resilience and continued efforts toward recovery. Contrastingly, suggesting to give up on recovery is counterproductive and can lead to hopelessness. Minimizing the significance of the relapse undermines the individual’s feelings and can lead them to feel invalidated. Proposing immediate professional help, while sometimes necessary, may not always foster the supportive atmosphere that personal experience sharing does, particularly if the individual may need more immediate emotional support. The best outcome in this context is achieved by blending personal experience with compassion, helping individuals to see