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“You Don’t Get That from Professionals”

A Consumer-Led Peer Recovery Program for Families and Friends of Individuals with Alcohol and Other Drugs Use Issues in Darwin

Published Date: 14.4.2023

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Theme: Specific groups of carers

Sub-theme: Caring for someone with a drug or alcohol dependency

Carer needs Support-seeking behaviour Support groups Substance use Qualitative data Co-design Participatory research

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Theme: Specific groups of carers

Sub-theme: Caring for someone with a drug or alcohol dependency

View Publication Carer needs Support-seeking behaviour Support groups Substance use Qualitative data Co-design Participatory research

Verification Statement

“You Don’t Get That from Professionals”

A Consumer-Led Peer Recovery Program for Families and Friends of Individuals with Alcohol and Other Drugs Use Issues in Darwin

Published Date: 14.4.2023

Author/ Authors

Noemi Tari-Kereszte, Noelene Armstrong, James A. Smith, Himanshu Gupta , Sam Goding, Sal-Amanda Endemann
Suggested citation (APA 7th edition)

Tari-Keresztes, N., Armstrong, N., Smith, J. A., Gupta, H., Goding, S., & Endemann, S. (2023). “You Don’t Get That from Professionals”: A Consumer-Led Peer Recovery Program for Families and Friends of Individuals with Alcohol and Other Drugs Use Issues in Darwin. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(8), 5514. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20085514

Long Summary

This paper introduces Circles of Support, a peer‑led recovery program co‑designed in Darwin for families and friends of people experiencing alcohol and other drug (AOD) use. The program helps participants build knowledge and skills across areas such as understanding AOD and co‑occurring mental health issues, supporting recovery, managing crises and emotions, practicing self‑care, setting boundaries, communicating needs, addressing stigma, and navigating the service system.

Key Messages for Carers

The article highlights the importance of supportive, peer‑led environments, showing that carers benefit from access to shared lived experience, practical skills, and emotional support that reduce isolation and strengthen confidence when navigating substance use challenges.
Demonstrates the profound impact of stigma on families, emphasising that stigma contributes to silence, withdrawal, and reduced wellbeing, and that evidence‑based education and non‑judgmental spaces play a key role in reducing shame and improving mental health.
Carers' needs are often overlooked in traditional service systems, underscoring the value of programs that recognise carers’ experiences, provide clear pathways for support, and build skills in boundary‑setting, communication, and self‑care.

Key Messages for Policy Makers

This paper demonstrates the critical need for policymakers to recognise and invest in peer‑led, family‑focused recovery supports, highlighting how these approaches can reduce the social and economic harms associated with alcohol and other drug use.
It highlights key evidence for policymakers, showing that strengthening peer‑led, family‑center recovery programs and addressing stigma are essential steps toward improving health outcomes and service pathways for families impacted by alcohol and other drug use.
It shows that peer‑led, family‑support programs are both needed and effective, and that reducing stigma and improving service pathways are central to supporting families affected by substance use.

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Author/ Authors

Suggested citation (APA 7th edition)

Key Messages for Carers

Key Messages for Policy Makers

Carers information technology project

(How) Will it end?

‘You say treatment, I say hard work’

Australian family carer responses when a loved one receives a diagnosis of Motor Neurone Disease

How to use the Research Library

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