Participants in our weekly Support Groups said
“I struggle to confide in my family and friends. This group is the only place I feel comfortable talking about how I really feel.”
“Giving voice to my feelings about things…. I sometimes don’t know what I am really thinking and feeling until I hear myself try and express them to others.”
“It really helps that I am listening and talking to people I think of as group-friends. They don’t live in my everyday life. They aren’t part of my problem and I’m not part of theirs.”
“I use the group to catch issues before they become too big and to avoid worrying my friends. The support group is able to contain my feelings and not overreact, and I get validation by checking out things with the group.”
“Have a rant in a safe Group where nobody is involved or likely to take it personally.”
“A place where I can speak freely without feeling judged.”
“Talking with people I trust.”
“Collaborative happiness.”
“Every meeting is new and you get something new out of it.”
“A caring and loving environment to talk through difficulties in life. No matter just listening to others or sharing my own feelings, I feel safe and I belong.”
“Zoom setting is convenient and cosy. The smiling faces have connected us almost the same way as face-to-face setting.”
“I feel safe to be me, don’t have to have any front to protect myself. Feels good to have a group where I feel safe and accepted. Every time we meet, I have some new insight, find something helpful in relation to my issues, from others in the group.”
“Sneaking-up on happiness.”
“Helps me so much to have this regular space in managing my mental health. It’s become an important time in my week, a reliable time where I connect with myself, and especially with others, as I struggle with connecting with people in my day-to-day life.”
“I am not alone”
Some shared insights
“I learned not to make big decisions when I’m in a bad place.”
“Its just another aftershock in the earthquake of my life.”
“This too will pass.”
“When I try to make a change, sometimes I succeed and sometimes I don’t but I always learn something. Next time I’m not starting from the same place.”
“When I feel the anger, frustration and resentment rising like an unstoppable volcanic eruption I try and pause for 15 seconds and remember that these are my feelings. Other people and things that happen can’t make me feel anything. I can choose what to feel and how and when to respond.”
“Most things in life don’t need to be dealt with right now. I usually let time pass. And if I don’t know what to do next I ask for help.”
“Because I want to go in that direction, I try to stop doing things that take me the other way.”
“Things change. Shit happens. I try and face it in ways that cost me the least emotional energy, grieve for my loss and move on. But its hard.”
“Some people reckon that if things don’t change they stay the same. But nothing ever stays the same for ever. The world around me is constantly changing and so am I.”
“I learned that if I don’t change my behaviours and don’t make changes in my life or put in boundaries, then I usually keep going along the same path.”
“Baby steps…. I sometimes wobble and sit down with a bump but it minimises the risk of crashing and hurting. Walking is better than crawling. For me, sitting still, feeling sad and doing nothing became tedious. It wasn’t learning, wasn’t feeling any better and I definitely wasn’t living my best life.”