A Community-based, Peer-led Counseling Service: A Hybrid Type 3 Effectiveness-implementation Study

The goal of this observational study is to learn how a community-based peer counselling service works in everyday practice and whether it helps people who are going through a psychologically difficult time. Peer counsellors are trained people with their own lived experience of mental health problems. The service, Peerberatung St. Gallen, already exists in St. Gallen, Switzerland. It offers up to six one-hour counselling sessions per year per client. The study does not change the service or decide who receives it. The main questions this study aims to answer are: * Do clients report changes in their personal recovery, well-being and stress after using the service? * How do clients experience the counseling, and what do they find helpful? * How is the service put into practice, and how do peer counsellors and partner organizations view it? Clients who use the service will: * Fill out an anonymous questionnaire at the start of counseling and again after their last session * Be invited to take part in an interview about their experience Peer counsellors and staff of partner organizations will: \- Fill out a questionnaire about how acceptable, appropriate and practical they find the service Be invited to take part in group discussions (peers) or interviews (staff of organizations)