Trauma AWARE Mental Health Peer Support Certification Training by BAFS

Bay Area First Step

Get certified in Trauma AWARE Mental Health Peer Support, a training that equips you to deliver truly trauma informed peer support.

155 S Empire Blvd

A training for Neurodivergent Learners designed by Neurodivergent Learners.Join us for an exciting 40 hour, in-person event at Bay Area First Step, 155 S. Empire Blvd. Coos Bay,OR, USA. December 8th-December 12th,2025, 8am to 5pm. Are you the person that everyone calls to just talk? Do random people on the streets unravel their entire life and story to you because your authenticity screams safety? Do you have a passion to help others find overall health and wellness because you have your own recovery and wellness story to tell? You might be an amazing Mental Health Peer Support Specialist! You can help people experiencing tough times by using your own voice of life experiences to inspire and encourage others, that recovery and mental wellness is possible. Learn how to provide effective Trauma AWARE support to individuals who have experienced trauma, and gain valuable knowledge in trauma-informed care. Led by Trauma AWARE Facilitators, this training will empower you to make a positive impact in your community through a Trauma AWARE lens. Don't miss out on this opportunity to enhance your understanding of mental health and help others on their healing journey. Register now!

What are you going to learn?Individuals who take this training will become certified peer support specialists for the state of Oregon. They will learn federal based initiatives and federal peer fidelity as well as: Trauma Awareness In Yourself and OthersRole and Scope of Practice For Traditional Health WorkersTrauma healing modalitiesBiohackingTrauma AWARE LanguageNeuroplasticityAddiction educationCompassion Fatigue &amp; Vicarious TraumaTrauma Activation and Emotion RegulationHarm ReductionSocial determinants of healthHousing firstIntegrative Health And a million other innovative, exercises and concepts that will skyrocket you into a career in peer support work. Our trainings are laid back and fun and designed for neurodivergent learners. Can't wait to meet you!

Peers work within various employed positions in our system of care, medical settings, behavioral health settings, addiction recovery, houselessness and several other helping fields. Peers build trust with service users because they have been there, they understand the struggle, therefore increasing engagement, navigation, program development, and creating a well-oiled feedback loop and a standard of care for providers. At the end of the training, you will receive a certificate that you will send in to the Oregon Health Authority to apply for listing as a Certified Mental Health Peer Support Specialist on the Traditional Health Workers Registry for the Oregon Health Authority, where employers look for peer workers.

What people are saying:"This is the most fun, comprehensive, experiential peer support training in the state!" "I can't wait to start my job, I feel so prepared and I know that if I get confused I can always reach out to my facilitators for guidance. Truly a great training." "This was so fun! I love you guys!"

To learn more about how to incorporate Peer Support programming into your medical clinic, therapeutic services or helping agency, contact us atinfo@bayareafirststep.org or bwilson@bayareafirststep.org “Unless Someone Like You, Cares A Whole Awful Lot, Nothing Is Going To Get Better, It’s Not” ~The Lorax

To mail a check or money, order to Bay Area First Step (155 S Empire Blvd. Coos Bay, OR 97420). Please include the name, phone number, email, and job title for enrollment.