Frank Cohen, CRPS, Certified Recovery Peer Specialist (Broward)

Biography

Frank Cohen qualified in 2021 with a Certificate IV in Mental Health Peer Support (MHCC), building on his earlier academic foundation of a Bachelor of Social Science, majoring in Psychology.

Since 2019, Frank has been supporting mental health consumers as a Lived Experience Peer Support Worker across SESLHD, and previously at The Sydney Clinic. Within SESLHD, he has worked with both inpatient and community consumers across the Euroa Aged Care and Kiloh Mental Health wards at Prince of Wales Hospital.

Frank’s pathway into peer support was shaped by his own recovery journey. After spending 15 months as both an inpatient and outpatient at The Sydney Clinic, he discovered his purpose in the peer workforce. He went on to obtain his MHCC certification and began facilitating lived experience–led inpatient and outpatient therapy groups.

In his roles as a Lived Experience Peer Support Worker, Frank has, offered authentic support grounded in lived experience, fostering trust, empathy, and understanding, worked collaboratively with therapists and multidisciplinary teams, providing a vital peer perspective in care planning, supported individuals in setting and working towards recovery goals, building on personal strengths and resilience, and promoted empowerment and self-direction, encouraging consumers to take an active role in their own recovery journey.

According to Frank, “You Never have to apologize for putting your Mental Health First,. Everyone’s lived experience is unique, everyone’s lived experience is valuable, and everyone’s lived experience matters.”