MHFA support groups welcome any attendee wishing to join our meetings. Having said that, due to the sensitive content, support groups can only be attended by those over 18 years of age, unfortunately we cannot accommodate children. You do not need a referral to attend a support group. Carers and family members are also welcomed to join support group meetings. 

To ensure support groups are inclusive and benefit as many people as possible our meetings are run in a self-contained manner. This means, you can join our support groups join at any time. Our facilitators are skilled at both catering to newcomers as well as more regular attendees. Similarly, if you miss a meeting, you can simply join the next one.

We encourage you to register for each meeting you wish to attend, and emailed reminders will be sent out for an entire year after registration is completed. You can unsubscribe at any time.

MHFA follow all government mandates and guidelines to ensure the physical and emotional safety of all attendees. MHFA provide both online and face to face delivery. 

If attendance is continually as low as one person, then the group will eventually dissolve or will merge into another similar support group. If there are two or more people in a session, then the group will continue. 

All attendees regardless of their sex, gender, race and/or ethnicity are welcome to join support groups. To uphold the privacy of attendee’s, facilitators will not ask any participants to disclose their title or personal pronouns, however, attendees are welcome to disclose this information should they wish.

The aim of support groups is to spark conversation and create comfortable environments that promote participant involvement. To achieve this, facilitators will often direct questions to the group rather than focusing on individuals, however, facilitators at times will ask individuals to introduce themselves or whether they have anything to add on a particular topic.  Attendees do not have to share when they are not ready and can decline by saying they would ‘rather observe today.’ Many attendees will only start to disclose their thoughts and feelings after a few meetings, in the meantime, introducing yourself can be a great first step.

Family, friends, and carers can educate their loved ones about the benefits of attending MHFA support groups and assist them through the registration process. To be in accordance with government guidelines, registration needs to be completed with the consent and knowledge of the attendee.

Support groups are a place where attendees with similar conditions and experiences can share, relate, empower, and learn. Support groups offer therapeutic benefits including an increased sense of connection, self-esteem and understanding of mental illness. Support groups, however, are not therapy groups. Support groups are open and unstructured allowing attendees to express a free flow of views and experiences, they do not replace professional diagnoses or therapy.

If you are running late to a meeting, notify the facilitator if possible. We always encourage attendance, and you are more than welcome to attend even if you are late and cannot let the facilitator know. Similarly, if you need to leave early, please let your facilitator know at the beginning of the meeting. We do ask that if you are running late or leaving early you enter/leave the meeting as discretely as possible so as not to disrupt the flow of the meeting.

It is perfectly normal to feel anxious about attending support groups. It can be challenging to share our personal stories, experiences and viewpoints with others, especially when we have experienced rejection in the past. Our facilitators are highly skilled at creating a space that allows each participate to share at their own pace. Facilitators know how to manage group dynamics and create an environment and structure that is consistent and safe so that new attendees will know what to expect and can participate freely. As all sessions are self-contained, attendees can skip sessions and join again when they have time or feel better. The choice to attend and how to participate is therefore in control of the attendee while being gently guided and supported by experienced facilitators. 

Disagreements can sometimes occur; however, facilitators are trained in implementing techniques that resolve conflict quickly and safely. If you are concerned about your own reactions to hearing different views and opinions, try to remember that everyone has their own legitimate viewpoint based on their own experiences. Further, taking a break to get a glass of water or some fresh may help lower tension and anxiety.