{"id":2850,"date":"2026-07-14T17:51:35","date_gmt":"2026-07-14T17:51:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.tcysapc.org\/?p=2850"},"modified":"2026-07-14T17:51:35","modified_gmt":"2026-07-14T17:51:35","slug":"how-lived-experience-strengthens-addiction-recovery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tcysapc.org\/?p=2850","title":{"rendered":"How “lived experience” strengthens addiction recovery"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"PennsylvaniaWhen someone walks into an alcohol<\/a> or drug treatment service carrying shame, fear or the weight of relapse, the person who helps them most may be someone who’s been there themselves.\u00a0 Rather than relying solely on clinical knowledge, these individuals bring something that can’t be taught in a classroom: a deep understanding of what recovery really looks like.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey can identify with clients in ways others can’t,\u201d says Professor Loren Brener, a social psychologist and expert in stigma and discrimination from UNSW’s Centre for Social Research in Health.\u00a0\u00a0\u201cThey bring an immediate sense of empathy and create a non-judgmental environment where people feel safe to share their stories.\u201d<\/p>\n

The\u00a0qualitative study<\/a>, published in the\u00a0International Journal of Drug Policy<\/em>, draws on interviews with 36 workers across alcohol, drug and mental health services. Participants included peer workers, counsellors, psychologists and social workers. Despite their different roles, they shared one view: lived and living experience is professional expertise.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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More than empathy<\/h2>\n

Seeking help for drug and alcohol use or mental health challenges can be overwhelming. Many people entering treatment have experienced shame, stigma and repeated setbacks. Recovery is rarely a straight path, and returning to treatment after relapse can carry its own burden of guilt.<\/p>\n

Workers with lived and living experience understand those realities because they have navigated them themselves.\u00a0\u00a0\u201cThey understand the experiences of shame,\u201d Professor Brener says. \u201cThey also understand that treatment and recovery aren’t a straightforward pathway.\u201d\u00a0That shared understanding often changes the relationship from the very first conversation.<\/p>\n

Prof. Brener says clients frequently recognise workers with lived and living experience without anyone needing to say a word.\u00a0\u00a0\u201cThey just know,\u201d she says. \u201cThey can identify the people who have that real depth of understanding and credibility.\u201d<\/p>\n

That trust can make it easier for people to talk openly about their experiences, engage with treatment and navigate the often-complex health and social service systems surrounding recovery. Some workers described accompanying clients to appointments with other services, helping them navigate healthcare, legal systems or child protection processes\u00a0\u2013\u00a0settings they themselves had once struggled to negotiate.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey understand the challenges of stigma and navigating services,\u201d says Prof. Brener. \u201cThat experience helps people feel recognised rather than judged.\u201d<\/p>\n

Participants also described another powerful outcome: hope. For clients who struggle to imagine life beyond their substance use or mental health challenges, seeing someone who has built a career after their own treatment journey can offer tangible proof that change is possible.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Supporting those who support others<\/h2>\n

Yet the research also found that drawing on lived experience comes with unique challenges.<\/p>\n

Supporting people whose stories closely resemble your own can be emotionally demanding. Workers described navigating difficult decisions about how much of their own experiences to share, managing personal triggers and, at times, facing stigma from colleagues.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf a client has a similar history, it can be triggering,\u201d says Prof. Brener. \u201cManaging those boundaries can be difficult.\u201d<\/p>\n

The study found these challenges are less about lived experience itself than about whether organisations provide the support workers need. Regular reflective supervision, mentoring, guidance around disclosure and workplaces that actively address stigma all emerged as essential ingredients for a sustainable workforce.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe often assume people will know how to manage disclosure because they have lived experience,\u201d says Prof. Brener. \u201cBut they’re rarely given guidance.\u201d<\/p>\n

Participants also described experiencing stigma within their own workplaces. Some reported colleagues questioning their professionalism or assuming ordinary stress or fatigue signalled relapse.<\/p>\n

These stories are a reminder that stigma can persist even within organisations committed to supporting recovery.<\/p>\n

Beyond tokenism<\/h2>\n

Australia is increasingly recognising the value of lived experience across health and community services, with peer workers becoming a growing part of multidisciplinary care.<\/p>\n

But meaningful inclusion means more than creating positions, says Prof. Brener.<\/p>\n

\u201cLived and living experience is a skill and an expertise,\u201d she says. \u201cIt should be valued that way.\u201d<\/p>\n

That means recognising experiential knowledge alongside formal qualifications, creating clear career pathways, providing equitable pay and ensuring workers have opportunities to shape how services are designed, not simply deliver them.<\/p>\n

When lived and living experience is treated as genuine expertise, rather than symbolic representation, everyone benefits, says Prof. Brener.<\/p>\n

\u201cClients receive more compassionate, responsive care. Organisations become better equipped to meet people’s needs. And workers are able to draw on their experiences without carrying the burden alone,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When someone walks into an alcohol or drug treatment service carrying shame, fear or the weight of relapse, the person who helps them most may be someone who’s been there themselves.\u00a0 Rather than relying solely on clinical knowledge, these individuals … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2850","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t