Poster Presentation The National Suicide Prevention Conference 2024

Lived/Living Experience Integration of Intentional Peer Support with a Solution Focused Approach (#120)

Michele Orr 1 , Annie Rawson 1
  1. Eastern Health, Melbourne, Box Hill, VICTORIA, Australia

Annie is an integral team member in a HOPE (Hospital Outraeach Post Suicidal Engagement) Team in Adult and Older Adult Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Program at Eastern Metropolitan Melbourne.

As a consumer peer worker she uses Intentional Peer Support in the time she spends with the people she sees.   

As a team the Brief Intervention Team (which incorporates the HOPE streams) have embedded in their practice a Solution Focused approach, often referred to in therapy areas as Solution Focused Brief Therapy. 

Annie has adapted her work to incorporate both Intentional Peer Support and the Solution Focused approach which she will describe in this brief presentation.  

Intentional Peer Support and Solution Focused Approach are both hope based.

Intentional Peer Support includes the four tenets described as connection, worldview, mutuality and moving towards. 

Just like Intentional Peer Support,  Solution Focused approach holds the belief and assumption that the person has the resources to move towards their desired outcome or future. 

Both focus on what is possible.  Not on problems. 

Both approaches are honour the person, their perspective or the way they come to see themselves and the world 

The power of language is valued and integral to both approaches. 

As a Nurse Practitioner working in Suicide Prevention in Adult Mental Health and Wellbeing, Michele leads the teams in promoting the Solution Focused approach in all we do.  It has great outcomes for the people we see and the people using the approach.