Peer Support Documentation: Why It’s Challenging & How Supervisors Can Help

Original Peer Support Note (Unpolished, Misspelled, Poor Punctuation):"Met with client today. they said there struglin alot with stress at work and feelin isolatted. we talkd about ways to cope, and I told them about my personal experence and about handling workplace presure. Sugested they try setting small goals an using mindflnes tecnques. They said theyd give it a shot. We agred to check in next week"

AI-Refined Professional Note (Clear, Auditor-Friendly):"Conducted a peer support session with the client regarding workplace stress and feelings of isolation. Explored coping strategies, including goal-setting and mindfulness techniques, incorporating lived experience to foster rapport and encourage practical application. The client expressed willingness to implement suggested techniques and agreed to a follow-up session next week to evaluate progress."

Peer support specialists play a vital role in engagement, advocacy, and recovery support, but many struggle with writing service notes for a few key reasons:

• Lack of formal writing training – Unlike clinicians, peers rarely receive structured instruction on documentation.

• Difficulty translating conversations into records – Peer support is organic and relational, making it hard to fit interactions into formal documentation requirements.

• Pressure to sound “clinical” – Agencies may require structured notes, but excessive medicalization risks erasing the authenticity of peer work.

  
  

What Supervisors Need to Know

Instead of expecting peer specialists to learn complex writing skills—which is time-consuming and difficult—supervisors should recognize alternative approaches that maintain ethical documentation without pushing peers into unnecessary clinical frameworks.

Two Solutions to Prevent Over-Medicalization

1. AI-Assisted Writing

   AI tools can refine service notes, helping peers:

   • Improve clarity while keeping documentation true to peer support values.

   • Maintain professionalism without pushing medical terminology.

   • Reduce stress by handling grammar, formatting, and compliance automatically.

2. Checkbox-Based Templates (AI-Free Alternative)

   A structured checkbox system allows peers to select pre-defined elements, generating an audit-ready note without requiring extensive writing skills.

   This method:

   • Preserves peer support language while ensuring consistency.

   • Eliminates writing anxiety by streamlining documentation.

   • Keeps records compliant without forcing clinical terminology.

     
     

Moving Forward

Supervisors should support peer specialists by recognizing documentation barriers and adopting systems that fit their role, rather than forcing clinical writing standards. Whether through AI-assisted notes or structured templates, the goal is to make documentation effective while keeping peer support authentic.

Check out an example of a PSR template created by themindfulpeer.com at Documentation Writer | The Mindful Peer.