"Feeling underminded by recovery college peer leader"

Although most of my experiences at the recovery college have been positive I had an extremely negative experience today, the course that I attended was not what it was advertised to be but I decided to stay anyway.

A short time into the course we had to read out some notes that we'd made: I shared some very sensitive information about the trauma that I'd suffered in childhood due to witnessing sexual abuse. I felt that one of the peer trainers was very disrespectful and dismissive about what I'd disclosed. When I told them that this trauma has a lasting impact on myself and my family they again undermined and belittled my experiences.

Multiple sarcastic comments were directed at me by this peer trainer and they burst out laughing with a mocking attitude whilst looking around for encouragement from others in the room. The other peer trainer looked very uncomfortable while this was going on but said nothing. I wanted to say something but I'd already got to the point where I was sick of being interrupted by the peer trainer who often spoke over people. I have an emotionally unstable personality disorder and become choked when people shout over me. Usually when I do these courses the students have the opportunity to contribute but student participation was noticeably absent on this occasion.

The peer trainer insisted that we all put our mobile phones on silent but refused to comply with this rule themselves and when their phone started beeping they brazenly started texting back.

I came out of that room feeling much worse than when I went in and it's unlikely that I will do anymore recovery college courses ever again and this isn't the first time I've felt invalidated by mental health workers and I'm sure it won't be the last.