Stay Well 2025: Alex Nelson on Peer Support, New Year’s Challenges, and Looking Ahead 

When December 31st ticks over to January 1st, many of us reflect on the past and ponder the year ahead. It can be a difficult time, amplifying feelings of loneliness, regret, or uncertainty. Alex Nelson, Project Officer for Peer Connections & Serious Mental Illness Community and Outreach at Rethink Mental Illness, knows this struggle firsthand. As part of our Stay Well in 2025 campaign he shared his personal journey and insights into how peer support can transform lives, especially during challenging times. 

The Power of Peer Support

Alex supports a group of peer mentors at Peer Connections , a service that pairs individuals experiencing serious mental illness with trained peer mentors who have various types of lived experience. Despite its small size—just two paid staff members and eight to ten volunteers—Peer Connections makes an impressive impact. Over the past year, the team has delivered over 250 volunteer mentoring sessions and 130 individual navigator sessions from Community and Outreach, supporting more than 50 people across Somerset.

“We’re a small service, but what we’ve achieved is remarkable,” Alex said. “When you’re in the thick of it, moving from one session to another, you don’t realise the scale. But looking back, it’s motivating to see the lives we’ve touched.”

Peer support offers something unique: the chance to connect with someone who can understand or empathise. Alex described a recent success story where a peer mentor with a similar diagnosis helped a client who had lost trust in others. “Seeing someone who’s been through almost identical challenges and come out stronger was the light she needed. It gave her hope that recovery was possible.”

Although the mentors are not grief counsellors, another client, struggling with unresolved grief and unable to let go, found relief through a creative approach Alex described as a “Viking funeral.” By writing a letter expressing their feelings, then symbolically burning it at a reservoir, the client began to let go of their pain, opening the door to healing and being ready to engage with other services. “It didn’t solve everything, but it was a first step toward feeling lighter and more ready to move forward,” Alex explained.

Alex also spoke about the power of music to connect with people. He and a client sat and listened to music together and were able to feel ‘unspoken’ emotions—to “see the whole person.” The client reflected this was the first time he felt he was seen as a whole being.  “I really like taking a creative approach to supporting people. Sometimes, we need to throw the book away and be bold and brave.”

Alex’s Journey and Reflections

Alex’s passion for peer support stems from his own experiences with mental illness. “I wish I could go back and tell my younger self, the unwell me, that it’s okay to be lost,” he reflected. “The path will guide you home.” This insight is something he now shares with others: recovery is not linear, but it’s always possible.

Looking back on his journey, Alex acknowledges the mentors who inspired him, including a peer worker who remains a role model. “She said to me recently, ‘You’ve overtaken me.’ That was a humbling moment. I never thought I’d be in a position to inspire others the way she inspired me.”

Facing the New Year’s Challenges

The New Year can be an emotionally charged time. Alex shared how he once struggled with overwhelmingly negative feelings during the holidays. “Christmas could come and go but it was the start of a new year that I, and the voices I heard back then, would give me a really miserable time over.  I actually think that it was in the buildup to New Year when I first heard a voice clearly. It’s hard to vocalise where it came from or why, it was a subconscious dread almost that I hadn’t done enough this past year and I was still unwell, still a disappointment, still going nowhere, and that the year to come would give me nothing but chances to fail all over again.

I actually wrote a message to my old self as part of my recovery journey, and it included this really short poem I found in a book:

As the moon graces tides with soft silver sheen, Every wave carries tales, as wild as the sea, Cradled in breezes, adventures serene, In the whispers of waters, we find what we seek, With each breath of the ocean, the dreams rise and fall, A boundless journey, forever to be free.

I told myself that like the ocean tides, the holidays, anniversaries and years will come in and go out. It helped me to realise that the holidays are nothing to fear or dread but just a natural thing that comes and goes as naturally as the tides come in and out, and each new year is a new journey with hope that I’ll find what I seek.”

For those feeling overwhelmed, Alex encourages self-reflection and prioritising personal needs. “Ask yourself: How much of what I’m doing is because I want to, and how much is because I think I have to?” He suggests taking time for self-care—whether it’s journaling, taking a quiet walk, or even giving the past year a symbolic “Viking funeral” by writing down burdens and letting them go.

Why Peer Support Matters in 2025

Alex sees peer support continuing to grow as more people come forward for support with their mental health. “Peer support offers an alternative, a way to recover that’s personal and empowering” he said. “It’s not about replacing traditional care but complementing it with something unique that can take you down a different road.”

Looking ahead, Alex is optimistic. “I believe Open Mental Health will continue its evolution toward becoming more person-centred and putting people with lived experience at the heart of what they do. Whoever you are and whatever your role is, your journey matters and can be part of shaping the future.”

Advice for the New Year

Alex’s advice for the New Year is simple yet profound: “Celebrate the fact that you’ve turned the page. A new year is a clean slate, a chance to write your story your way. And remember, you’re not alone. Peer support is here to help, and together, we can all face whatever comes next.”

If you’re interested in learning more about peer support, check out our webpage. You can contact Peer Connections directly by emailing susan.hunter@rethink.org or alexander.nelson@rethink.org.

To find out more about other ways Open Mental Health can support you in 2025, just call Mindline Somerset any time of the day or night, seven days a week, locally on 01823 276892 or freephone 0800 138 1692. Mindline Live Web Chat is available every day from 8 pm-11 pm on our website or you can send us a message.

More Peer Support from Open Mental Health

Peer Support groups offer a safe, supportive space for individuals to connect on their recovery journey. Open Mental Health Partner, WATCH, is a peer specialist organization where people with lived experience of mental health challenges come together for mutual support and to share strategies for maintaining their wellbeing. WATCH is dedicated to meeting individuals where they are at, offering a choice to explore opportunities for involvement, such as project days, self-discovery courses, and peer worker foundation programs. The Pathways Project provides an opportunity to connect with others and learn online, while the Thursday Project offers face-to-face peer support along with a hot meal to keep you warm during the winter months.
You can find out more about WATCH by visiting their website or if you would like to get involved have a look at their Events Calendar. There is more information about Peer Support on the Open Mental Health Peer Support page.