The Beginner's Guide to Supportive Conversations
How to listen, respond & share your story like a peer support worker
Inside this FREE guide, you’ll get…
6 simple listening skills with fill-in templates, so you always have a starting point and never have to scramble for the "right" words when someone opens up.
A 4-part formula for sharing your own story, so you can say "I've been there too" without oversharing, rambling or making it about you.
A 4-step cycle for when a conversation gets heavy, so instead of freezing or panicking, you know exactly what to do next.
Clear next steps for when it's more than you can hold, so you feel prepared instead of powerless if someone shares something serious.
"I have supportive conversations every single day in my work, and the Beginner's Guide to Supportive Conversations hits the nail on the head. It's grounded in evidence and packed with value for anyone who supports others or wants to connect on a deeper level."
C.A.
Health Promotion Facilitator
"The LISO framework is brilliant. It made it so much easier for me to share my own experience with clients without hijacking the conversation or oversharing."
David K.
Front-Line Outreach Worker
"The 'Try This Instead of That' tool is pinned next to my desk. Swapping automatic phrases for open questions has made my daily conversations much more meaningful."
Elena R.
Community Program Coordinator
"I wish I had this guide when I first started out. Section 1 on checking your energy before stepping in was a huge reminder that setting boundaries is essential to staying effective long-term."
Marcus T.
Peer Support Specialist
"I used to jump straight into problem-solving whenever my team came to me with an issue. Asking 'Do you want me to listen, help problem-solve, or just sit with you?' has been an absolute game-changer for building trust."
Rachel S.
Team Lead
"The LISO template gave me the exact framework I needed to share my lived experience safely. Handing the conversation back at the end keeps the focus right where it belongs."
Tom B.
Community Health Worker
Hi, I’m Jeff Turner.
As a peer support worker, I’ve worked in street outreach, drop-in centres, housing programs and structured classroom settings, and I’ve trained other peer supporters along the way.
Every one of those spaces taught me something different about what it means to really listen, understand and respond.
One of the most common questions I heard from new peer supporters was some version of: “What if I say the wrong thing?” The second was: “How do I share my story without oversharing or going blank?”
So I built simple systems to help.
A.M.E.R. came from years of real conversations where I didn’t know what to say next. LISO came from helping people tell their story with clarity, confidence and boundaries.
This guide brings them together, because I believe something simple: more people will talk when more people know how to listen. You don’t need to be an expert to be someone people can talk to. You just need to slow down, get curious and keep practising.
I hope this helps you show up for the people in your life, and for yourself.
Until next time, remember to take care of yourself, however that looks to you.
