Solution-Focused Peer Support: Practical Tools to Empower Conversations and Groups
This two-hour introductory course introduces Solution-Focused Peer Support, a structured, evidence-based approach designed to strengthen prevention, connection, and resilience within college communities. As campuses face rising mental health needs and limited access to specialized care, peer support offers a powerful and scalable solution. College mental health services are often overextended, leaving many students without timely support. At the same time, students report significant levels of loneliness and disconnection, and peer support provides a practical prevention strategy by fostering reciprocal relationships built on empathy and shared experience. The course examines how teaching solution-focused peer support skills to all students can reduce isolation, enhance academic performance and retention, and foster a culture of mutual care and support.
Through the integration of Solution-Focused dialogue, participants learn how to engage in supportive conversations that activate hope and agency, without requiring problem analysis or clinical expertise. The course examines what peer support is—and what it is not—clarifying how peer support differs from therapy or advice-giving and emphasizing reciprocity, role clarity, and boundaries.
Participants will practice core skills in breakout sessions and within the full group, watch a short video demonstration of a solution-focused group on a college campus, and leave with concrete questions and implementation strategies. The course addresses common barriers to implementing peer-led interventions and offers strategies to ensure safe, supported, and sustainable implementation. This course is grounded in content from Anne Bodmer Lutz, MD’s workbook: The Solution-Focused Mindset for Anxiety and Depression: A Workbook to Manage Emotions, Harness Your Strengths, and Feel Better Now.
Target Audience
- Social workers, psychologists, mental health counselors, and peer support workers.
- College advisors, case managers, student services professionals, faculty, interdisciplinary teams
- All experience levels
- Introductory focus
The instructor is the author of The Solution-Focused Mindset for Anxiety and Depression (New Harbinger Publications, 2024) and receives royalty payments from its sales. The book may be referenced during this training as a relevant educational resource. No other financial relationships or commercial supports are present.
Learning Objectives
By course end, participants will be able to:
- Identify three core features of Solution-Focused Peer Support and explain how this model fits within college campuses.
- Describe and differentiate the core features of peer support and identify potential benefits and risks associated with implementing peer-support practices in mental health or educational settings.
- Practice key solution-focused techniques that can be utilized within peer support, including activating resources, VIP mapping, Best hope mapping, and solution-focused scaling in breakout sessions and group interactive exercises.
- Observe a solution-focused group video demonstration and discuss how solution-focused dialogues can be used to enhance peer support in a group context.
- Identify three strategies to implement solution-focused peer support on college campuses.
Course Assessment
Participants will be assessed in the following manner:
● Class Participation: Participants are encouraged to clarify any points they do not understand, pose questions, offer ideas, and broaden their perspectives. Attend the entire live session (cameras on unless accommodation granted)
● Actively participate in activities and discussions.
● There will be a 15-item multiple-choice test, which is designed to assess your understanding and ability to apply the course material. You may take the exam multiple times until you pass.
● Complete the post-session evaluation.
● Print your Certificate of Completion upon meeting all requirements
There will be a 15-item multiple-choice test, which is designed to assess your understanding and ability to apply the course material. You may take the exam multiple times until you pass and receive a passing grade of 80%.
Certificate of Completion
After you have completed all of the sections, passed the exam, and completed the course evaluation, you will receive your certificate of completion. You will be able to save and print the certificate.
Continuing Education Credit Information
2 CE Credit/Clock Hours are available for this live course.
Please see our Continuing Education Information page for information about CE credits, clock hours, and our accreditations and approvals for psychologists, social workers, counselors, and occupational therapists.
The Institute for Solution-Focused Therapy offers continuing education credit for this live, interactive 2-hour course. Participants must attend the full session with their cameras on, actively engage in course activities, and complete a post-course evaluation to receive a certificate of completion.
Psychologists
The Institute for Solution-Focused Therapy, LLC, is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Institute for Solution-Focused Therapy, LLC, maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Psychologists completing this course receive 2 continuing education hours.
The Institute is also recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists (#PSY-0127).
Social Workers
The Institute for Solution-Focused Therapy, provider number 1831, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 9/22/2023 – 9/22/2026. Social workers completing this course receive 2 Clinical continuing education credits.
The Institute is also approved by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work (#SW-0656), and by the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling.
Counselors
The Institute for Solution-Focused Therapy, LLC has been approved by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7049. The Institute for Solution-Focused Therapy, LLC, is solely responsible for all aspects of the program. Counselors completing this course receive 2 clock hours.
The Institute is also approved by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors (#MHC-0233), and by the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapist Board.
Participants should check with their professional licensing boards to ensure that a specific course will be accepted for their continuing education requirements.
To receive continuing education hours, the participant must attend the entire online presentation with their camera on, engage in all activities, and complete the course evaluation.
Upon successfully completing the course, participants will be given instructions on downloading and printing their Certificates of Completion.
No conflicts of interest or commercial support are present for the CE program, instructor, or presentation.