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Peer Support Group
Providing a safe, stigma-free place for support
When: Saturdays from 12:00 to 1:30 PM
 Are you a mental health consumer who is interested in:
- Learning Stress Reduction Techniques
- Developing Practical Support Knowledge
- Identifying and Addressing Symptoms and Triggers
- Teaching a Skill to Others
- Establishing and Cultivating Relationships
- Learning How to Advocate for Yourself
- Balancing Work with Mental Illness
Then Please Join Us!
This is a recovery group where you can learn from others with similar struggles.
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Focus Areas
Assistance in daily management and living – Peer supporters use their own experiences with their daily schedule, physical activity and medicine adherence in helping people figure out how to manage their lives. They can also help in identifying key resources, to customize their own maintenance plan.
Social and emotional support – Through empathetic listening and encouragement, peer supporters are an integral part of helping people to cope with social or emotional barriers and to stay motivated to reach their goals.
Linkage to clinical care – Peer supporters can help bridge the gap between the patients and primary care providers and encourage individuals to seek out clinical care when it is appropriate.
Ongoing support, extended over time - Peer supporters sucessfully keep patients engaged by providing proactive, flexible, and continual long-term follow-up.
Support groups are a place for people to give and receive both emotional and practical support as well as to exchange information.
When someone is searching for a support group, the single most important thing to remember may be: if the group doesn't feel right to you or doesn't match your needs, try a different group. There are many options available.
Why Join A Support Group?
Support groups are made up of people with common interests and experiences. People who have been through, or are going through, a similar circumstance can do more than sympathize with you � they can relate to what you are going through and keep you from feeling like you are alone.
However, many people are unaware of the additional benefits of joining a support group � support groups can be a great place to find practical tips and resources. At many support groups you can find:
- Information about research and strategies (through brochures, booklets, websites, telephone help lines, and person-to-person sharing in the group meetings).
- Information about public policy, legal resources, privacy laws, and protection from discrimination. Links to researchers.
- Financial assistance and scholarships.
What Makes A good support group?
Although what is "good" differs for each person, there are some universal signs that indicate a well-functioning group:
- Up-to-date, reliable information
- Prompt response to contacts
- Regular meetings or newsletters
- Access to appropriate professional advisors (for example, doctors, therapists for grief support, or employment attorneys for workplace discrimination)
- Strong leadership
- A clearly stated "confidentiality" policy
- Particular qualities the individual is seeking (for example, a group around a specific condition, or a group for siblings)
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