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Most peer support programs start strong… then fade out. In this episode, we’ll talk about how to sustain your team, keep engagement high, and ensure your peer support program remains trusted and effective for the long haul.

Most peer support teams start with good intentions, a few trained peers, a launch meeting, maybe even some early wins. But what happens after six months? Or a year?

If your team is starting to fade, or you want to prevent that from happening, this episode is for you.

We’ll talk about what causes peer support teams to lose momentum, and I’ll walk you through practical steps to keep your team active, engaged, and trusted. From avoiding burnout to evaluating effectiveness, you’ll walk away with tools to make your program last.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why most peer support programs lose steam
• How to maintain engagement without exhausting your team
• What kinds of ongoing training actually make a difference
• How to evaluate what’s working (without breaking confidentiality)
• What to do if your team has fizzled out

If you found today’s episode helpful…

Share it with your team. Follow the podcast so you never miss an episode. And if you’re building or revitalizing a peer support program, I’d love to help. Visit StressCareDoc.com to schedule a strategy call.

https://www.survivingyourshift.com/41

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Connect with Bart

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/bartleger

Facebook Page: facebook.com/survivingyourshift

Website: survivingyourshift.com

Want to find out how I can help you build a peer support program in your organization or provide training? Schedule a no-obligation call or Zoom meeting with me here.

Send me a text

Skeptical culture? Stigma? Silence? Learn how to promote peer support in a way your department will actually hear. Retired Sgt. Gabe Lira shares real solutions that work.

How do you promote peer support without sounding like HR or a TED Talk?

It’s one thing to build a peer support team. It’s another thing to get your department to trust it. If you’ve ever hit resistance, heard the line “We don’t need that,” or wondered how to shift the culture without sounding out of touch, this episode is for you.

Gabe Lira joins me today with over 30 years of military and law enforcement experience, including building one of the first peer support teams in Southern California and co-founding the Public Safety Peer Support Association. Gabe understands firsthand what it takes to earn buy-in from the ground up, and he shares practical tools, common mistakes, and what works when you’re introducing peer support to a skeptical audience.

BY THE TIME YOU FINISH LISTENING, YOU’LL LEARN:

• What to expect when your department pushes back
• Smart ways to introduce peer support that don’t sound like a lecture
• How to get buy-in from leadership and frontline staff alike

If you’re building or growing a team and facing resistance, this conversation is exactly what you need.

CONNECT WITH GABE

EMAIL: gabe@firstresponderpsych.com
LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabe-lira-62b243247/
WEBSITE: https://www.firstresponderpsych.com

OTHER LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Public Safety Peer Support Association: https://pspsa.org/

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Connect with Bart

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/bartleger

Facebook Page: facebook.com/survivingyourshift

Website: survivingyourshift.com

Want to find out how I can help you build a peer support program in your organization or provide training? Schedule a no-obligation call or Zoom meeting with me here.

Send me a text

If your people don’t trust your peer support team, it won’t work. In this episode, you’ll learn how to protect confidentiality, build psychological safety, and create a culture where people know it’s safe to reach out.

What good is a peer support team if no one feels safe enough to use it?

Confidentiality isn’t just a policy, it’s the foundation of trust. And if your people don’t believe their conversations will be kept private, they’ll stay silent. That silence keeps people stuck in pain, stress, and burnout.

In this episode, we’ll talk about what real confidentiality looks like, how to create psychological safety, and why one slip can damage your whole program.

You’ll also learn what peer supporters should say, how leadership can either support or sabotage the process, and how to build a culture where trust isn’t just a buzzword, it’s a lived experience.

BY THE TIME YOU FINISH LISTENING, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

• The non-negotiable rules of confidentiality for peer supporters
• How to create psychological safety in every interaction
• Practical ways to build department-wide trust in your peer support program

If you want your peer support program to survive, confidentiality and trust aren’t optional; they’re everything.

OTHER LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Schedule a free discovery call

https://stresscaredoc.com/consultation

Peer Support & Crisis Training Info

https://stresscaredoc.com/training-courses

Download Confidentiality Playbook

https://survivingyourshift.com/playbook

If you're receiving value from this podcast, consider becoming a monthly supporter—your gift helps me keep producing these practical episodes. Become a supporter today.

Connect with Bart

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/bartleger

Facebook Page: facebook.com/survivingyourshift

Website: survivingyourshift.com

Want to find out how I can help you build a peer support program in your organization or provide training? Schedule a no-obligation call or Zoom meeting with me here.

Send me a text

You don’t need to reinvent the wheel. Just train it right. In this episode, I’ll show you exactly what kind of training your peer support team needs to be equipped and ready when it matters most.

Does your peer support team actually have the training they need, or are they just winging it?

Caring isn’t enough. Without the right training, peer supporters may overstep, or God forbid, do harm. And that can be disastrous for your team’s effectiveness.

In this episode, I’ll walk you through the essential types of training every peer support team needs, especially in emergency services and high-stress professions.

Whether you’re just getting started or realizing your current team needs more support, this episode gives you a clear and practical training roadmap to build confidence, competence, and care into every conversation.

BY THE TIME YOU FINISH LISTENING, YOU’LL LEARN:

• The three core areas every team must be trained in
• Why suicide intervention training is non-negotiable
• How to keep your team sharp with ongoing education and support

Don’t guess. Train your team well, and build a culture where people know where to turn when life gets heavy.

OTHER LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Schedule a Discovery Call

https://calendly.com/stresscaredoc/consultation

Share this Episode:

https://survivingyourshift.com/38

QPR Suicide Training:

https://stresscaredoc.com/suicide-intervention-training

ASIST Suicide Training

https://livingworks.net/training/livingworks-asist/

If you're receiving value from this podcast, consider becoming a monthly supporter—your gift helps me keep producing these practical episodes. Become a supporter today.

Connect with Bart

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/bartleger

Facebook Page: facebook.com/survivingyourshift

Website: survivingyourshift.com

Want to find out how I can help you build a peer support program in your organization or provide training? Schedule a no-obligation call or Zoom meeting with me here.

Send me a text

Confused about what a peer supporter is actually supposed to do? This episode breaks down the real role of peer support and what not to do, to keep the team trusted, safe, and effective.

What’s the real role of a peer supporter, and where’s the line between helping and overreaching?

Too many programs launch without clearly defining the role of a peer supporter. That leaves team members unsure of what to say, when to refer, or how much to carry. Some burn out trying to do too much. Others do too little, afraid of crossing a line. The result? Confusion and programs that quietly fall apart.

In this episode, I walk you through what peer supporters actually do, and just as importantly, what they don’t do.

BY THE TIME YOU FINISH LISTENING, YOU’LL LEARN:

• The core responsibilities of a peer supporter
• Clear boundaries to protect the role (and yourself)
• Why therapy and peer support are not the same—and how to explain the difference

Whether you’re serving on a team or building one from the ground up, this episode will help you define the role so your program stays trusted, effective, and safe.

OTHER LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

The International Critical Incident Stress Foundation

Schedule a free discovery call with Bart

Share This Episode

https://survivingyourshift.com/37

If you're receiving value from this podcast, consider becoming a monthly supporter—your gift helps me keep producing these practical episodes. Become a supporter today.

Connect with Bart

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/bartleger

Facebook Page: facebook.com/survivingyourshift

Website: survivingyourshift.com

Want to find out how I can help you build a peer support program in your organization or provide training? Schedule a no-obligation call or Zoom meeting with me here.

Send me a text

Not everyone is wired for peer support—and choosing the wrong people can do more harm than good. In this episode, I’ll show you how to choose the right team members your people can actually trust.

How do you know if someone’s the right fit for your peer support team?

Let’s be honest—just because someone wants to be on the team doesn’t mean they should be. In fact, putting the wrong people in peer support roles can do real damage. Trust gets broken. Teams disengage. And the program quietly falls apart.

In this episode, I walk you through the traits of a strong peer supporter—and the red flags to watch out for.

Whether you’re building your first team or cleaning up one that’s not working, this episode gives you the clarity you need to choose team members who are grounded, trustworthy, and emotionally ready for the job.

BY THE TIME YOU FINISH LISTENING, YOU’LL LEARN:

• The six traits every peer supporter must have
• How to spot red flags before they create problems
• Why trust matters more than rank, credentials, or popularity

Peer support only works when your people trust the team. This episode shows you how to build that trust from the start.

Links Mentioned in This Episode

https://survivingyourshift.com/36

https://survivingyourshift.com/questions

If you're receiving value from this podcast, consider becoming a monthly supporter—your gift helps me keep producing these practical episodes. Become a supporter today.

Connect with Bart

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/bartleger

Facebook Page: facebook.com/survivingyourshift

Website: survivingyourshift.com

Want to find out how I can help you build a peer support program in your organization or provide training? Schedule a no-obligation call or Zoom meeting with me here.

Send me a text

Thinking about launching a peer support program but unsure where to start? In this episode, I’ll walk you through the exact steps to build a team your people will actually trust and use.

Thinking about starting a peer support program in your department or organization, but feel overwhelmed by where to begin?

You’re not alone. A lot of agencies know they need something in place, but either launch too quickly without structure, or stay stuck in planning mode for months.

And the worst part? Some programs do get started… but no one uses them.

In this episode, I’ll walk you through the clear, practical steps for starting a peer support program that works—not just on paper, but in real life.

Whether you’re building from the ground up or trying to fix a team that fizzled out, this episode gives you the roadmap to create something sustainable, trusted, and effective.

BY THE TIME YOU FINISH LISTENING, YOU’LL LEARN:

• How to get leadership buy-in and speak their language
• The most important step before choosing your team
• What every peer support program needs to last long-term

Starting a team doesn’t have to be complicated—but it does have to be done right. This episode will show you how.

Share This Episode

https://survivingyourshift.com/35

OTHER LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Peer Support Programs eBook

Leave me a voicemail

International Critical Incident Stress Foundation

LivingWorks ASIST

QPR Suicide Intervention Training

Schedule a free discovery call

Peer Support & Crisis Training Info

This Week’s News Story

If you're receiving value from this podcast, consider becoming a monthly supporter—your gift helps me keep producing these practical episodes. Become a supporter today.

Connect with Bart

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/bartleger

Facebook Page: facebook.com/survivingyourshift

Website: survivingyourshift.com

Want to find out how I can help you build a peer support program in your organization or provide training? Schedule a no-obligation call or Zoom meeting with me here.

Send me a text

Are there warning signs in your department you’re missing? In this episode, learn five red flags that signal it’s time to build—or rebuild—a peer support team that actually works.

Is your department ignoring the signs that your people are struggling?

When good people are burning out, leaving the job, or silently suffering through trauma, it’s not “just part of the job.” It’s a red flag. And if you don’t have a trusted, structured peer support team in place, the damage may already be happening under the surface.

Many organizations don’t act until something breaks—but by then, it might be too late.

In this episode, I’ll walk you through five warning signs that show your agency needs a peer support program—and what happens if you choose to ignore them. Whether you’re thinking about starting a team or realizing the one you have isn’t working, this episode gives you the clarity (and push) to take action.

BY THE TIME YOU FINISH LISTENING, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

• The five red flags that reveal a lack of peer support
• What happens when you don’t act early enough
• How to turn things around with a team your people will actually trust

You don’t have to wait for tragedy to do the right thing. You can start building the support your team needs today.

Share This Episode: https://survivingyourshift.com/34

OTHER LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Episode 33: https://survivingyourshift.com/33

Schedule a free discovery call

QPR Suicide Intervention Training

Peer Support & CISM Training Info

Citations:

(2023, April 26). First Responders Suffering in Silence. Common Ground. Retrieved August 12, 2025, from https://commongroundhelps.org/first-responders-suffering-in-silence/

(2024, October 31). Peer Support for First Responders: Insights from an Expert. FHE Health. Retrieved August 12, 2025, from https://fherehab.com/learning/peer-support-first-responders

FEMA (2019, October 19). Strategies to Improve Firefighter Mental Health Awareness in the Dayton Fire Department. Fema.gov. Retrieved August 12, 2025, from https://apps.usfa.fema.gov/pdf/efop/efo250715.pdf

360 Counseling (2024, March 12). The Silent Struggle: Mental Health Challenges Among First Responders. Retrieved August 12, 2025, from https://clearwater360counseling.com/the-silent-struggle-mental-health-challenges-among-first-responders

If you're receiving value from this podcast, consider becoming a monthly supporter—your gift helps me keep producing these practical episodes. Become a supporter today.

Connect with Bart

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/bartleger

Facebook Page: facebook.com/survivingyourshift

Website: survivingyourshift.com

Want to find out how I can help you build a peer support program in your organization or provide training? Schedule a no-obligation call or Zoom meeting with me here.