What support groups actually are
A support group is a regular gathering of people who share a similar experience. Peer-led groups are run by people with lived experience; facilitated groups are run by a clinician or trained facilitator. Condition-specific groups focus on one diagnosis. Some are open-ended, and some follow a set curriculum across a fixed number of weeks.
Support groups are not therapy, and they are not a substitute for professional assessment or emergency care. What they do well is reduce isolation, provide practical perspective from people who have been there, and offer a place to be honest without explaining yourself.
Peer-led groups
Many national organizations run peer-led groups that are free and open to the public. NAMI affiliates, for example, run peer and family support groups across the country, in person and online. Peer support is built on the idea that shared experience is itself useful.
Condition-specific groups
Groups organized around a specific condition — depression, bipolar disorder, OCD, eating disorders, grief, anxiety — often feel more useful than general mental health groups because the conversation starts at the right level of detail. National organizations usually publish a group finder or chapter directory.
Groups for family members and caregivers
Family members and partners often need support in their own right. Family-focused groups teach communication, boundary setting, and practical navigation, and they reduce the isolation that comes with supporting someone through a long-term condition.
Online support groups
Online groups expand access, particularly where local options are limited. They also require more care around privacy. Some things worth knowing:
- Use a display name that does not identify you, if the platform allows it.
- Check whether the group is moderated and how moderators are trained.
- Read the group's rules before posting; tone and expectations vary widely.
- Assume that anything you post could be screenshotted and shared.
- Be cautious with groups that discourage professional treatment or push a specific product.
Community programs and nonprofits
Local nonprofits, faith communities, libraries, and community centers often host free groups that are not advertised nationally. Your local 211 service can identify them, as can a hospital's behavioral health department.
How to tell whether a group fits
- Does it feel structured enough to be safe and respectful?
- Are facilitators or moderators clearly identified?
- Do members respect boundaries — no pressure to share more than you want?
- Does the group allow people to be at different stages?
- Is it clear that crisis concerns need to go to a crisis line rather than the group?
It is completely normal to try two or three groups before finding one that fits. You can also attend without speaking the first time.
Privacy considerations
Anything you share in a group should stay in the group, but you cannot control what others do. Share what you are comfortable with, and remember that confidentiality rules that apply to licensed clinicians do not apply to peer settings in the same way.
What support groups do not replace
Peer support does not replace professional assessment, medication management, or emergency care. If you are experiencing significant symptoms, a group can sit alongside treatment — it is not an alternative to it. If you are in crisis, call or text 988 or call 911; groups generally do not monitor messages between meetings.
Where to find groups
- National organizations with local chapters and group finders, such as NAMI and the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance
- Your local 211 service
- Hospital and clinic behavioral health departments
- Community centers, libraries, and faith communities
- Condition-specific foundations and associations
Next step
Our support groups and peer services category lists national organizations that run groups, plus information on peer support programs.
Frequently asked questions
- Are support groups free?
- Many are free, particularly peer-led groups run by national organizations and community programs. Some facilitated groups charge a small fee. Never assume a group is free — ask when you inquire.
- Are support groups confidential?
- Groups usually ask members to keep what is shared private, but peer settings do not carry the same legal confidentiality protections as licensed clinical care. Share what you are comfortable with.
- Can a support group replace therapy?
- No. Support groups complement treatment but do not replace professional assessment, therapy, medication management, or emergency care.
About the author
Written by Mental Health Outreach Editorial Team, Editorial team. This article has not yet been clinically reviewed. Content covering medication, suicide prevention, crisis response, or diagnosis is queued for professional review before publication.