ObjectivesThis article aims at explaining the concept and the process of recovery and identifying its different stages, as well as analysing which patient's and caregiver's behaviours will help this journey to recovery. The second objective is to demonstrate how professional peer support can be an innovative job that gives meaning to patients’ healthcare and participate to a paradigm shift in psychiatry, as this role redirects caring practices towards recovery, and not just the remission or healing of the disease. This paradigm shift is based on the assumption that patients can recover and transform themselves in a fulfilling life, despite a severe and chronic psychiatric disease, and that the person's wellbeing goes way beyond symptomatic remission. From this point of view, the patient needs to retake ownership of one's life and step out of one's “patient” status to take back all aspects of one's life: emotional, social, professional, personal, spiritual and civic. Various studies have proven that the job of professional peer support brings numerous advantages to fellow patients and medical teams, and that its appearance is but the legitimate consequence of a medical and sociological evolution during which treatment progresses have improved patients’ life quality and enabled them to take back ownership of their life and become more and more involved in the care pathway and within healthcare institutions. On the other hand, this professionalisation of recovered patients does generate some concern as well as ethical questions, as is only normal in any new and innovative job role. MethodsPatient testimonials. Review of international publication. ConclusionsPeer support professionals belong to the new players in mental healthcare. They enrich professional practices and healthcare offering. They bring hope since they are living witnesses of recovery, and contribute with their deep knowledge of this concept, its stages and the elements, behaviours and environments that foster its process. They enable the paradigm shift that would help people to step out of their patient status to become their true self, without being limited by the disease, but with the ability to live a chosen, satisfactory and fulfilling life. They could be the drivers to create new recovery-oriented programmes and practices, which are unfortunately much too rare today, and help catch up France's delay in this area. This is absolutely possible under the condition that peer support professionals get truly recognised for their role and find their true position as part of the healthcare community.