Defining Peer Support

Peer support is about people with similar experiences providing support for each other as equals. For DeQH, this is based on our shared identities as people who trace our ancestry to the South Asian subcontinent and identify or are still exploring our identities under the LGBTQ+ umbrella, including those who are curious or questioning and those who do not want to label themselves.

There are different models to provide peer support. Here at DeQH, we provide non-crisis emotional support by phone and email during a limited set of hours per week. This means you can call us during our open hours ot schedule a one-time appointment and whomever you speak with will listen openly and empathetically to what you want to discuss at that time. If you write to us, we will provide a response and also encourage you to call us to speak with someone. We do not offer crisis support or long-term support (e.g., speaking with the same person regularly). If you are in crisis, want longer-term support, and/or are looking for other resources, we will do our best to direct you to other services that are better suited to meet those needs.

Peer Support Principles

Below are some key peer support principles that we value and how we think about them in the context of DeQH. We are committed to learning and growing alongside you and these principles and our considerations may evolve as we do.
Peer Support Principles
DeQH Considerations
Voluntary choice & consent
We center the caller’s agency and rights. We know that supposed systems of care have been harmful to communities of color and queer and trans communities. This means we will never contact anyone on your behalf (e.g., families, healthcare, schools, police).
Experiential knowledge
We honor your experiential knowledge. We do not make any assumptions about your experiences as we recognize important differences and power dynamics within these shared identities (e.g., caste, ethnicity, religion).
Equals sharing power
We come into the space as equals with mutual respect. We hold the space and invite you to be your full self.  We acknowledge the power dynamics within our South Asian and LGBTQ+ communities and aspire not to perpetuate those in our conversations (e.g., related to caste, ethnicity, religion).
Active listening & holding space
We prioritize active listening. This means we are fully present and invested in holding space as a form of dialogue with you.
Centering thoughts & feelings
We ask open-ended questions to hold space for you to process your feelings. We also acknowledge that feelings can be difficult to talk about and that many cultural norms tend to discourage discussion or exploration of feelings. 
Empathetic & non-judgmental
We enter the space with empathy and without judgment. We acknowledge peers can still harm each other; empathy does not equal endorsement or moral neutrality. Our time together is an opportunity to learn/grow in a trusted/safe environment for both callers and ourselves.
Healing together
We hope to model the same principles of collective care internally and externally. We are a non-hierarchical collective who are peers to each other. We support each other in this work and we are all healing together. We prioritize the emotional and physical safety of you and our collective members.

Learn More

Disclaimer: We are trained peer support volunteers. We do not offer professional counseling services. We are not a crisis line and do not engage in suicide prevention. We will never call the police.

DeQH is fiscally sponsored by NQAPIA, the National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance.