Learn how peer support in mental health helps individuals guide others through shared experience, fostering connection, recovery, and community.
When you meet Samuel, one of Interim’s Wellness Navigators with the “Keep It Real” program, you quickly notice his approachable style. Whether connecting someone to housing, food resources, or mental health support, Sam leads with empathy; his story guiding his way.
Before joining Interim eight years ago, Sam faced many of the same challenges as the people he now serves. His turning point came when he was referred to Bridge House, Interim’s dual-diagnosis residential treatment program. There, he began attending groups, learning new skills, and connecting with mentors. After completing the Bridge House program, he gradually began building independence and confidence until he moved out on his own.
“Interim helped me in so many ways – employment, finding housing, my recovery, my mental health. They’ve helped me all along the way. I’ve learned to open up, to talk with someone I trust if I’m not feeling well, and like… you feel like you’re not alone anymore.”
Sam didn’t just receive support, he built a career. Through Interim’s Supported Education and Employment Program, he was encouraged to apply for a job at the Omni Resource Center. What started as an opportunity became more than four years of training in group facilitation, transportation, and peer support.
“At Omni, I learned most of my skills – running groups, doing transportation to groups. I’ve worked across five different departments in the last eight years. At Sunflower I learned med watch, at Academy I ran groups, and at Bridge House I learned a lot too. Every program has helped me in some way.”
That investment has paid off, not just for Sam, but for the people he now serves. As a Wellness Navigator, he works with young adults ages 18-25, and the adult population at large, meeting them where they are – on the streets, in shelters, or at community events.
“I’m not here to tell people what to do. I’m more here to guide them along their journey… the way others guided me.” Sam’s credibility comes from lived experience. “Sometimes by sharing my own story, it kinds of gets them to open up or share a little bit about themselves too.”
During the height of COVID-19, Sam personally helped move more than ten people into safe housing at Moongate Plaza. “I moved in like, 10 or more [people]… during COVID. A lot of people were kind of scared and nervous, and I kind of was too, but I was able to do it. I felt really proud of that.”
His leadership has also grown beyond one-on-one work. In May 2025, Sam stepped onto the stage as keynote speaker at Interim’s Mental Health Service Recognition Awards, sharing his recovery story with more than 100 people. “I was nervous, but it felt amazing to connect with so many people and maybe inspire someone who is where I once was.”
For Sam, stability means more than a paycheck. It’s the chance to raise his two-year-old daughter with pride and purpose. “If I can get out of conservatorship and do good, and have a steady job for eight years, I feel like anybody has a shot.”
Why Sam’s Journey Matters
Sam’s story shows what donors make possible:
- Peer-based support works. When people in recovery help others, outcomes improve for both the client and the peer worker.
- Meaningful work transforms lives. By investing in peer roles, Interim empowers people like Sam to move from receiving services to leading them.
- Communities grow stronger. Every time Sam helps someone into housing or connect them to care, he multiplies the impact of the investment donors once made in him.