Peer Mentor Program
CALL TO ACTION: BECOME A PEER MENTOR TODAY!
Thanks to generous grant funding, we are expanding our peer mentor program. We need individuals like YOU to serve as mentors.
As a former client, current mentor, and now a staff member at PSVa, I’m asking those who have recovered from a perinatal mood and anxiety disorder (PMAD) to consider volunteering as a Peer Mentor. Our Peer Mentor Program is not just dynamic and flexible; it’s also a powerful tool for personal healing and growth, both for the mentee and the mentor. Please complete our Volunteer Interest Form or read below for more details about our Peer Mentor Program.
We’re excited to hear from you and happy to answer any questions you have!
Warmly,
Maddie Burns
PSVa Peer Mentor Program Coordinator
Urgent Need!
We have a recently identified need for more mentors of color, specifically Black mentors, to honor mentee preferences.
Support. Connection. Healing.
PSVa’s Peer Mentor Program is a free evidence-based program for birthing people who are experiencing symptoms of a perinatal mood or anxiety disorder (PMAD) such as postpartum depression or anxiety. The Program Coordinator carefully pairs mentees with volunteer mentors who have recovered from their own PMAD and who share similar lived experiences. Peer support helps decrease isolation, guilt and shame; increases the use of positive coping skills; normalizes and validates experiences; helps one regain a feeling of control; offers hope; and provides education and outreach.
Kamisha found herself four months pregnant when the pandemic started. She experienced perinatal anxiety and depression. She credits her help and support to the ladies she met through PSVa's Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies - A Support Group for Women of Color. Kamisha's passion has always been to serve others, and since becoming a mother, she enjoys dedicating her time to helping other birthing people. She currently lives in Prince George's County with her husband, 2 sons, and step daughter.
Grateful for PSVa's in-person services as a former client, Maddie became a volunteer and witnessed the healing power of peer support in her roles as a Peer Mentor and Support Group Facilitator. Now, as a staff member, she is excited about the opportunity to connect PSVa's passionate volunteers to birthing people across the state for mentorship. When not dancing or singing with her daughters, she's exploring new sports, writing, and catching up with good friends. A Richmond native, having lived in Philly, France, and Washington, DC, Maddie is now rooted in Northern Virginia.
When I joined the program as a mentor, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect. I knew that I would be helping mothers who needed emotional support. But what I didn't expect was that by listening to everyone's stories, I would begin to heal too. I learned something from every mentee; their words dissolved my feelings of being alone in my own struggles. They taught me that it's important to be vulnerable, and I found a sense of community in sharing our lives with each other. The bond that grows between a mentor and mentee is something special, and I'm proud to be a volunteer for an organization that cultivates powerful emotional growth.
Social Support Training
Don’t worry, we’ll get you Social Support Training and Peer Mentor Orientation to prepare you for your new role.
Please view our upcoming trainings.
Peer Mentor Program FAQs
Mentors benefit from the integration of their own experiences with mental health challenges and other lived experiences into impactful engagement with perinatal families across Virginia. 1:1 social support benefits both the mentee and mentor’s sense of community and well-being.
Mentors must have recovered from a perinatal mood or anxiety disorder (PMAD), such as postpartum depression , and have been in recovery for at least 9 months. Mentors complete PSVa’s Volunteer Application, Social Support Training, and Peer Mentor Orientation before being matched with a mentee with similar lived experiences. Through professional development and regular Chat & Chew engagement opportunities, volunteers are supported before and during their time with PSVa.
After being trained and paired with a mentee, the time commitment is roughly one hour per week during the first half of the mentorship, with support and time commitment faded gradually starting around halfway through the mentorship (3 months).
Peer mentorship reduces mentees’ level of distress by pairing them with mentors who can provide support and encouragement. Mentors share coping strategies and resources, as well as validate mentees’ experiences and feelings. Mentees report a decrease in PMADs symptoms after participation in the program. Peer support for perinatal people in the program leads to increased satisfaction with parenthood and better health advancement, including mentees identifying and continuing with therapeutic support.
Want to learn more?
Are you interested in joining our team of compassionate volunteers?
You'll find a supportive community working together to improve perinatal mental health across Virginia.
Learn more >>
Are you a potential mentee looking for support?
If you're currently experiencing PMAD symptoms and would like to be paired with a mentor, we're here for you!
Learn more >>
Not sure how to get involved but want to learn more about the program?
We get it! You can learn more by accessing the link below to read the Peer Mentor Volunteer description.
Learn more>>