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 34: Alex on peer support, recovery beyond services, and surviving harm in mental health care
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Alex was first hospitalised at 16 - and spent much of the next eight years in and out of the same psychiatric unit. By the time she was discharged at 24, she was labelled “clinically recovered” but inside, she felt empty, hopeless, and lost.
In this conversation, Alex talks honestly to Cate about the harm she experienced in mental health services, the limits of being treated through diagnosis alone, and what was missing when she needed it most: connection, safety, and people who truly understood.
The turning point didn’t come from another intervention. It came when Alex stepped away from services altogether — and began recovering with the support of family, friends, and, crucially, peer support. People who didn’t try to fix them. People who listened. People who believed them.
We explore how peer support became the foundation of Alex’s recovery and later, her work. From frontline peer roles to leading peer support services, Alex reflects on what it means to carry lived experience into leadership, the risks of burnout, and the importance of being supported as a peer, not just useful to others.
Alex also speaks about parenthood, relapse, and reporting abuse years later - and how peer connection helped them navigate those moments with compassion rather than self-blame.
At its heart, this is a conversation about recovery beyond services — and why peer support isn’t an “add-on”, but the thing that makes healing possible.
You’ll hear about:
- Growing up in psychiatric care - and the harm Alex experienced
- Being “clinically recovered” but emotionally abandoned
- Why leaving services opened the door to real recovery
- What makes peer support different - and why it works
- Using lived experience in peer and leadership roles
- The challenges of peer leadership and protecting your own wellbeing
- Moving from anger to compassion
- A message of hope for anyone who feels beyond help
***CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains references to sexual abuse/assault, which some listeners may find distressing. Please take care of yourself, and feel free to skip this episode if it's not the right time for you.
Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
With-you consultancy: www.with-you.co.uk