Families In Touch

Whether it is a friend, significant other, or family member, you probably know someone who lives with a mental illness. Mental illness can range from mild to severe, and high-functioning to low-functioning. That makes it hard to understand, and even harder to navigate when there are ups and downs. We get it, and we know that mental illness affects more than just the person with the diagnosis. As a loved one, you might be feeling:

• Confusion about your loved one or your own reactions
• Frustration with yourself, your loved one, or others
• Challenges in setting boundaries and expectations
• Trouble getting your own needs met
• Isolation, fatigue, and burnout

Are you a parent? Take a screening about your child’s mental health here.

People may engage with a support group at various points throughout their mental health journey. For some, groups may be a safe space to explore their mental health for the first time in a welcoming and accepting community; for others, groups function as a space for validation, troubleshooting, and celebration as they work to manage or maintain their mental health. Regardless of what point you’re at, our participants share that support groups help them to get information and resources from people who have been there; build a support network they can rely on; and talk about their mental health without judgement.

At our groups, we believe in the power of community – a group of people who hear you, understand you, and walk alongside you. There’s a lot of theories behind why support groups work, but the bottom line is this: research shows people who participate in support groups have reduced symptomology, reduced number of crises, reduced use of services, and an overall increased sense of wellbeing (Worrall et al., 2018). It’s more effective than just providing information alone (Griffiths et al., 2012), and some studies even demonstrate that participation in support groups can produce equivalent outcomes to “substantially more costly professional interventions” (Pistrang, Barker, and Humphreys, 2008). No matter what you’re hoping to get out of it, support groups have something for everyone – just ask our participants.