How to Find Support Groups: A Practical Guide to Connection, Healing, and Hope

How to Find Support Groups That Fit Your Needs

The right group can depend on your goals, diagnosis, availability, and comfort level. But finding the right support group isn’t just about logistics. It’s about alignment with where you are and what you need most right now.

Use this step-by-step approach to find one that feels right.

1. Clarify Your Needs

Start by asking:

• What kind of support am I seeking? Do I need space as someone navigating a specific condition, or as a caregiver or loved one?
• Would I feel more supported in a peer-led space rooted in shared experience, or a group facilitated by a mental health professional?
• Do I feel more comfortable and connected in an in-person circle, or do I need the flexibility and accessibility of an online group?
• What is the heart of what I’m carrying: Grief, addiction, trauma, parenting stress, or something else that needs tending?
  

Asking these questions and more can bring the clarity needed to search with purpose.

Support groups bring therapy to life. They’re where clinical insight meets lived experience—where clients and families practice the art of being seen, heard, and held in community. That kind of connection reinforces the work done in formal treatment and adds a layer of relational healing that’s so important for the recovery journey.

Dr. Malasri Chaudhery-Malgeri, PhD

2. Use Trusted Directories

Search using credible, health-oriented directories. The following are a list of reputable directories for some challenges or areas where you might be looking for peer support.

• Adult Children of Alcoholics & Dysfunctional Families:
  Offers support group meetings for adults raised in homes with alcoholism, neglect, or dysfunction.
  
• Alcoholics Anonymous:
  Helps individuals find local and online AA meetings focused on recovery from alcohol addiction.
  
• Anxiety and Depression Association of America:
  Provides a peer-to-peer support group directory for people living with anxiety, depression, OCD, and related conditions.
  
• Celebrate Recovery:
  A Christ-centered recovery program with group meetings for addiction, trauma, and co-occurring issues.
  
• Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance:
  Offers peer-led support groups across the U.S. for individuals living with mood disorders like depression and bipolar disorder.
  
• Eating Disorders Anonymous:
  Search for EDA meetings that support recovery from eating disorders through a 12-step framework.
  
• Gamblers Anonymous:
  Provides an international meeting locator for individuals seeking recovery from gambling addiction.
  
• Grief Recovery After a Substance Passing (GRASP):
  Offers community-based support groups for people who have lost a loved one to substance use.
  
• Mental Health America:
  Includes a wide range of peer-led support groups organized by mental health condition, identity, or life stage.
  
• NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness):
  Provides free, peer-led support groups for people living with mental illness and their family members.
  
• Narcotics Anonymous:
  Offers an international meeting search for individuals recovering from narcotic and drug addiction.
  
• She Recovers:
  A trauma-informed support network for women and nonbinary individuals recovering from substance use, mental health challenges, and life transitions.
  
• SMART Recovery:
  Hosts science-based, self-empowering support meetings for recovery from all types of addictive behaviors.
  
• Women for Sobriety:
  Provides mutual support groups for women seeking recovery from substance use through a positive, empowerment-based approach.
  

3. Ask Your Mental Health Provider

If you’re already connected with a mental health professional, they can recommend groups that align with your diagnosis or treatment plan. Providers often know which support services are active, trustworthy, and appropriate for your stage of healing.

Recovery.com is a great place to find a mental health provider or a higher level of care.

4. Explore Social Media and Online Communities (Cautiously)

Social media and online peer support communities⁷ can offer valuable support and empowerment for mental health, but their effectiveness depends on a number of factors like the quality, organizational affiliation, and strength of moderation of the specific platform. 

Being selective about where and how you participate ensures a safer, more supportive experience.

While platforms like Meta or Reddit can be valuable sources of peer connection, they vary in quality and moderation. There is also the risk of misinformation⁸ or bad actors. Look for groups affiliated with a known organization or those with clear group rules and active moderators.

What to Expect in Your First Group Meeting

It’s normal to feel nervous at your first session. Knowing what to expect can ease anxiety. Each group can be different, but there are generally similar things to expect in support groups.

• Sharing is optional: You may be invited to share, but you can always pass. You also don’t have “perform” or present a perfect version of yourself. You can be sad, sit in silence, or simply pass and not share. All feelings and types of shares are welcome.
  
• A safe space: Groups should maintain confidentiality and respect, and it’s essential to note that group trust often develops over time. It’s normal for a group to be quiet or feel awkward at first. The natural rhythm of the group and the relationships with other group members will strengthen as time passes.
  
• Not therapy: Peer groups are for sharing and listening—not diagnosing or treating. There’s no pressure to fix or solve anything. The group is about being together and honest connection, not providing solutions to everyone’s problems.
  
• Facilitators set the tone: Peer or professional facilitators guide the discussion and ensure emotional safety.
  
• You’re not alone: Most participants are new or have felt nervous, too. Remember, trust builds over time. You can give a group a chance to see if it’s the right fit for you. Or you can try other groups to see if you might feel more comfortable in a different style of gathering or setting.
  

It’s important to remember that different support groups offer different things. Keep looking for the right group if the first group you try does not fit your needs or what you are looking for. Support groups can be a powerful part of recovery, but finding the right fit may take time. 

Try attending more than one group before deciding what works for you. Show up regularly to build trust and connection. Respect others’ boundaries and confidentiality, and be honest without pressuring yourself to share before you’re ready. 

Take in what’s helpful, and leave behind what doesn’t serve you.

Choosing between a peer-led group and a professionally facilitated one is a bit like choosing between a potluck and a guided retreat—both nourish, but in different ways. If someone needs clinical containment, trauma-informed tools, or support for complex mental health concerns, a therapist-led space may offer the scaffolding they need. If they’re looking for shared humanity, accountability, and lived experience, peer-led groups can feel like home.

Dr. Malasri Chaudhery-Malgeri, PhD

Find Your Place of Belonging

Support groups remind us that healing doesn’t happen in isolation. Whether you’re the one looking for help or you are the person holding space for a loved one, there’s strength in finding people who’ve been there too.

You don’t have to have the right words or be in the perfect place emotionally. Just showing up is enough. The path forward may not be linear, but in community, you don’t have to walk it alone.

Let Recovery.com help you take the next step.

Browse our resources, compare options, and find the support group that brings you back to connection, clarity, and care. You can also compare treatment options near you.

FAQs

Q: How do I know if a support group is legitimate?

A: Look for groups affiliated with well-known nonprofit organizations, hospitals, or community health centers. If it’s peer-led, check for clear rules, trained facilitators, and guidelines around confidentiality and respectful sharing.

Q: What’s the difference between a support group and group therapy?

A: Support groups are peer-based and focus on shared experience. Group therapy is led by a licensed mental health professional and typically involves a clinical goal or structured treatment plan. Both can be helpful, depending on your needs.

Q: Can I join a group if I haven’t been diagnosed?

A: Yes. Many self-help and peer support groups welcome people who are struggling but haven’t received a formal diagnosis. Groups can be a starting point for those seeking clarity or community.

Q: Are online support groups as effective as in-person ones?

A: Online support groups can be just as meaningful, especially for people with limited access to transportation, mobility issues, or those living in rural areas. What matters most is whether you feel seen, heard, and safe in the group.

Q: What if the group doesn’t feel like a good fit?

A: That’s okay. Not every group works for everyone. Try different group meetings until you find one where you feel comfortable. Trust your instincts—support should feel safe, not stressful.

Q: Can family members or caregivers attend support groups?

A: Absolutely. There are many family support groups and caregiver communities designed specifically to help those supporting someone with a mental health condition, substance use challenge, or disability. These spaces provide coping strategies, validation, and relief.