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 40: Naomi Salisbury on Self-Harm, Peer Support, and Why Lived Experience Must Be Taken Seriously
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In this episode of Shoulder to Shoulder, Cate speaks with Naomi Salisbury, whose relationship with peer support has spanned decades, both as someone living with mental health challenges and as a leader working to build better support for others.
From advocacy and helpline work to leading a lived experience-led charity, Naomi has spent years at the heart of peer support spaces, especially around self-harm, where understanding, trust and safety matter deeply.
In this conversation, she reflects on what good peer support really looks like, why self-harm is so often misunderstood, and what happens when lived experience is treated as an optional extra rather than something essential.
She also shares her concerns about underfunding, tokenism and the pressure to force peer support into systems that do not always respect what makes it powerful in the first place.
In this episode, we explore:
✔️ Naomi’s journey through peer support as both participant and professional
✔️ Why peer support can be especially powerful for people who self-harm
✔️ How safe, honest peer spaces can hold difficult conversations well
✔️ The risks of reducing peer support to a cheap add-on within formal services
✔️ What proper investment in lived experience-led work should look like
✔️ Naomi’s hopes for the future of peer support in the UK and beyond
Show Notes
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Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
With-you consultancy: www.with-you.co.uk