Support Groups
What is a Support Group?
A support group is when a group of people come together who are going through or have had similar experiences, and are able to share their problems, coping strategies, and feelings. Support groups provide those who are struggling with a sense of community and the knowledge that they are not alone. Whether professional or nonprofessional, support groups use a shared therapy that creates a network of support and resources.
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What Can I Benefit from a Support Group?
Participating in a support group can help with…
Improved Social Skills: By meeting and talking with other group members, you also have a chance to practice social skills and interact more effectively with others. Often, mental illness has contributed to withdrawal from social situations. Support groups provide a safe place to become more comfortable around others once more.
Realizing You Are Not Alone: This realization usually brings about a feeling of relief, by gaining the understanding for perhaps the very first time in their life that others have similar concerns and are there to help and encourage you.
Expressing Feelings: Support groups allow you to practice talking openly and honestly about your feelings. This can be a very therapeutic and healing experience, you will find that others in the group will listen without judgement and praise you for your openness and courage.
Learning Helpful Information from Others: Support groups offer lots of practical tips and resources for dealing with identified concerns. and members share their success stories and the strategies that helped them move forward in the recovery. Each member will have different resources that they can share.
Affordability: One additional advantage of support groups is they are very affordable. In fact, many groups are free, and all will typically be cheaper than individual sessions.
Find a Support Group
Directory of Consumer-Driven Services
The National Mental Health Consumers' Self-Help Group Clearinghouse maintains a Directory of Consumer-Driven Services which includes peer-run organizations throughout the United States that offer a variety of supportive services and activities, including peer-run support groups.
Psychology today offers a search engine to find group therapy, support groups, group counseling, and detailed listings for mental health professionals in your area.
Some organizations now offer online support groups, discussion boards, blogs, and online communities as additional ways to connect with others in similar situations. Mental Health America has its own support community through Inspire which enables individuals to connect on a variety of issues and topics related to mental health.
Additional Resources
National Toll-Free 24 Hour Hotlines
The Suicide Prevention Lifeline- 1-800-273-8255 (or 1-800-273-TALK) will connect you with a 24 hour crisis center
Child-Help USA- 1-800-422-4453 (or 1-800-4-A-Child) assists both child and adult survivors of abuse, including sexual abuse. The hotline, staffed by mental health professionals, also provides treatment referrals.
Covenant House Nineline- 1-800-999-9999 crisis counselors are available to talk to homeless individuals and at-risk kids; also offer an online forum.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline- 1-800-799-7233 provides 24 hour crisis intervention, safety planning and information on domestic violence