Crisis Buddy Program

The Crisis Buddy Program is a peer-support initiative of the Schizophrenia Support Network (SSN) that connects people with trained peers who can offer companionship, listening, and practical support during difficult moments, emotional distress, or the early signs of a crisis.

A Crisis Buddy is not a therapist, psychiatrist, or emergency responder. They are a peer who chooses to walk alongside another person with empathy, patience, respect, and hope.

We also recognise that caring for someone during a difficult time can be challenging. A person supporting another needs support, knowledge, and space to care for themselves too. Through regular workshops and training, SSN will help Crisis Buddies learn ways of caring for both themselves and the person they are supporting.

Learn. Connect. Stay Together.

Our training and workshops will gradually introduce Crisis Buddies to approaches that can help us understand and respond to distress differently.

• Psychological First Aid
• Morita Therapy
• Active listening
• Validation and compassionate communication
• Understanding psychosis
• Suicide awareness
• Trauma-informed care
• Recovery-oriented approaches
• Recognising early warning signs
• Knowing personal limits and boundaries
• Self-care for helpers
• Supporting someone without trying to "fix" them

The aim is not to turn peers into therapists. It is to help ordinary people develop the confidence and skills to be with another person during difficult moments without becoming overwhelmed themselves.

When Can You Contact a Crisis Buddy?

You may want to reach out when:

• You feel overwhelmed or unable to cope.
• Voices have become stronger or more distressing.
• You are becoming frightened, suspicious, or confused.
• You feel disconnected from yourself or the world around you.
• You are having difficulty sleeping and are becoming concerned.
• You notice your own early warning signs of relapse.
• You are going through a difficult emotional period.
• You simply don't want to be alone.

You do not have to wait until things become a crisis to reach out.

Sometimes having someone sit with us, listen, share a meal, take a walk, or simply remain present can make a difficult moment a little easier.

Peer Stay

Sometimes, what we need is simply not to be alone.

An important part of the Crisis Buddy Program is the possibility of Peer Stay.

Some trained peer volunteers may choose to offer a temporary space in their home to another member who is going through a difficult period and does not want to be alone.

Where a Peer Stay is possible, a person may be able to stay with another peer for a short period, share their home, have a place to sleep and eat, and receive companionship and practical and emotional support while they find their way through a difficult period.

Peer Stay is based on mutual agreement, dignity, safety, and respect. It is not residential treatment or professional care.

Peer Stay will only be arranged after appropriate screening, additional training, and safety procedures have been established. Both the person offering the space and the person staying must freely agree to the arrangement.

A Morita-informed Approach

Our Peer Stay model will gradually introduce participants to principles from Morita Therapy, a Japanese approach that offers a different way of relating to difficult emotions and experiences.

Some of the principles we will explore include:

• Accepting emotions rather than constantly trying to eliminate them.
• Learning to live alongside anxiety and distress rather than fighting them.
• Recognising that feelings change naturally over time.
• Returning attention to meaningful and purposeful activity.
• Allowing a person to be where they are while gently supporting them towards everyday life.
• Offering companionship without constantly trying to "fix" the person.

The purpose is not to teach a peer to provide Morita Therapy. Rather, we hope to introduce a way of being with someone in distress that is accepting, grounded, practical, and compassionate.

Our Buddy Agreement

Before beginning a Crisis Buddy relationship, both participants agree to:

• Respect each other's privacy and confidentiality.
• Be honest about their availability and limitations.
• Respect personal boundaries.
• Communicate openly when something is not working.
• Avoid becoming dependent on one another for all forms of support.
• Contact the SSN team when additional support or guidance is needed.
• Put safety before secrecy.
• Respect each person's autonomy and choices.

Resources

SSN will gradually develop resources for both Crisis Buddies and people receiving support, including:

• Early Warning Signs Checklist
• Grounding and calming techniques
• Psychological First Aid Guide
• Crisis Support Plan
• Peer Buddy Guidelines
• Self-care for Helpers
• Introduction to Morita Therapy
• Recovery-oriented resources
• Guidance for families and trusted supporters

Become a Crisis Buddy

You don't need to have all the answers.

You don't need to be a professional.

You don't need to know exactly what to say.

Sometimes, being willing to stay, listen, and not leave someone alone with their experience can be an important form of support.

If you would like to become a Crisis Buddy, register your interest below. SSN will provide training, workshops, orientation, and ongoing support as the program develops.

Register for the Crisis Buddy Program →