Shoulder to Shoulder by With-you
Welcome to Shoulder to Shoulder
Shoulder to Shoulder is a podcast about the power of peer support and lived experience, and what happens when people who've been through tough times use that experience to help others.
But what is peer support? It's simple: people who've faced their own challenges offer understanding, connection, and hope to others going through similar challenges. That's the meaning of peer support, and it's at the heart of everything we do.
In a world that can make us feel alone when we're struggling, this podcast is a reminder that connection changes everything.
I'm Cate Munro, and each episode I talk with people who've faced real challenges - mental health struggles, addiction, trauma, grief, life-changing moments - and who now stand shoulder to shoulder with others on their own journeys.
My guests include peer support workers, people running peer support groups, and individuals whose lived experience has become their greatest strength.
They share their stories honestly: what happened, what helped, and how peer support made a difference.
Whether you're a peer support worker, thinking about becoming one, part of a peer support group, or simply believe in the power of human connection and shared experience, there's something here for you.
Before you listen: This podcast explores personal stories of growth, mental health and resilience. Some episodes include descriptions of trauma and distress. Please trust your instincts and look after yourself - it's always okay to pause or come back another time.
Thank you for being here.
Find out more about With-you Consultancy at www.with-you.co.uk
Shoulder to Shoulder by With-you
EP 30: Louise Christie on lived-experience leadership and peer support in Scotland
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Louise Christie leads the Scottish Recovery Network and has spent over a decade shifting power from systems to people with lived experience. She came into mental health from housing, regeneration and social enterprise — an outsider who saw how medicalised services miss what people actually need.
We talk family and identity, and the moment peer support moved from theory to practice. Louise explains how SRN pivoted from being “the experts” to conveners and amplifiers — backing grassroots groups, launching Making Recovery Real in Dundee and Moray, and proving that peer support isn’t a “nice-to-have” but a mechanism for culture change.
You’ll hear the real differences between Scotland and England (and what devolution gets right and wrong), why peer leadership must sit alongside clinical roles, and how to grow a peer workforce without draining community lifeblood. We cover boundaries, stigma, the myth of “treatment-resistant” people, and why relational, values-based practice beats box-ticking every time.
If you care about recovery that’s human, practical, and led by the people who live it — this conversation is for you.
You’ll hear about:
- The shift from “fixing people” to listening and empowering
- Making Recovery Real: what changed in Dundee and Moray
- Why peer support changes outcomes and mindsets
- Peer leadership vs entry-level roles — and why the distinction matters
- Scotland vs England: strategy, delivery, and what needs to be operationalised
- Building peer roles with the grassroots, not at their expense
- Boundaries, stigma, and seeing lived experience as an asset
If this resonates, share it with a colleague or commissioner — and start a conversation about peer leadership where you are.
#PeerSupport #LivedExperience #ScottishRecoveryNetwork #MentalHealth #Recovery #CultureChange #NHSScotland #MakingRecoveryReal #Devolution #Workforce
Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Show notes & resources:
With-you consultancy: www.with-you.co.uk
Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
With-you consultancy: www.with-you.co.uk