How the Groups Work

• Virtual Meetings: We meet online on a website/platform called HeyPeers.
• Safe & Confidential: This is a peer-led space, not therapy. Your story is honored, and what you share stays in the group.
• Community Connection: Between meetings, you can connect with others in a safe online space for support and conversation in our Discord.

In our meeting we cultivate a safe, caring, and peer-led community where everyone’s story is heard, and your pain is seen.

How to Join

Step 1: Sign up for a free HeyPeers account.

Step 2: View upcoming meetings on my HeyPeers profile.

Step 3: If you’d like to stay connected between meetings, or attend the meetings we hold on Discord, you’re welcome to join our private Discord community for ongoing support and conversation.

Peer Support Groups

Unlock the Psych Ward Doors

This group is designed to create a safe space where individuals who have experienced psychiatric hospitalization can connect, share their stories, and heal together. Whether you’re newly out of the ward or years removed from the experience, this group offers a place to discuss the challenges, emotional hurdles, and recovery processes after psychiatric incarceration. We understand what it feels like to be confined in that space, and we are here to support each other in unlocking the door to recovery, peace, and understanding.

This meeting is held on the HeyPeers website, you do not need to download anything, we will be on a video call directly on the browser. Our other meetings are in the process of being created and will also be held on Zoom. Meetings are every Monday at 3pm in the Pacific time zone. Though this meeting alternates every week. One week it is on HeyPeers, then the following week it’s held on Discord at the same day and time. This is due to HeyPeers restrictions.

Unlock Psych Reading Circle

We’re excited to introduce the Unlock Psych Reading Circle — a space for reading and reflecting together on books about mental health, recovery, wellness, and psychiatric injustice. In our book club we value peer-led discussion group where everyone’s voice is heard. We read, we reflect, we share, and we deepen our understanding through compassionate conversation and lived experience.

Releasing the Restraints: Stigma and Societal Constructs of Psychiatric Incarceration

This group focuses on the stigma surrounding mental illness and psychiatric incarceration, and how societal constructs often tell us that mental health is something to be ashamed of. Here, we explore the ways society and social rules influence how we feel about our mental health and our willingness to seek help. It’s a safe space to discuss the challenges of confronting these societal pressures, and how we can work together to break free from them. By sharing and learning from each other, we aim to foster empowerment, understanding, and a shift in the narrative.

Unlocked: Life Beyond the Ward

The transition from the psychiatric hospital back into the world can be a difficult and often isolating experience. In this group, we talk about the process of returning home after being held in a psychiatric facility. Whether you’re newly home or someone who’s been out for some time, we provide a supportive space to discuss the challenges of reintegrating into life outside the ward. We share insights, offer support, and help each other navigate the obstacles that come with reclaiming your life and sense of normalcy after psychiatric incarceration.

The Safe Room: Recovery from Psychiatric Restraint, Abuse & Seclusion

This group is dedicated to those who have experienced abuse or mistreatment during psychiatric hospitalization, including being placed in seclusion or subjected to restraint. The Safe Room is where your voice is free, where we hold space for your story with compassion, and where no experience is too difficult to share. This is a room for healing from the trauma caused by the psychiatric system, a place where you can be heard and supported without judgment. Together, we acknowledge and process the pain from these experiences, and begin the journey of recovery in an environment where everyone is safe.

Space to Breathe: Exhaling the Impact of the Ward

In this group, we address the trauma and PTSD resulting from time spent in a psychiatric hospital. The ward is often a place where we held our breath, where our safety was constantly threatened, and where we lived in a state of fear and vigilance. Now, in this group, we can finally exhale. This space is dedicated to talking about the lingering impact of our experiences and finding healing through shared understanding. We are a community of survivors, and here, we can breathe freely together as we talk about the damage done and work toward recovery in a supportive, trauma-informed environment.