Agree to our support group guidelines.

Participation Agreement

​By participating in any of our meetings, you are indicating that you have fully read the Support Group Guidelines below and are in full agreement. Your participation in any group indicates your acceptance of all policies -- including the Georgia Covid-19 Warning -- and your acknowledgment that you have reviewed Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on the Support Groups page and Helpful Hints on this page. We want attending our groups to be a positive, beneficial experience for everyone.

Support Group Guidelines

There are attendance restrictions.

Our support groups are open to anyone over the age of 18 with a mood disorder. For details on attendance by family/friends, students or other mental health professionals, please see Who can attend the groups? under FAQ on the Support Groups page.

 Registration is not typically required.

Check the specific location details on the Support Groups page to see if any limitations apply. Unless otherwise indicated, you can simply show up to a meeting. Please check our calendar first to make sure that a group has not been cancelled.

 Groups do not replace treatment.

Support groups do not replace traditional mental health treatment and are purely non-professional, peer-based opportunities to share personal thoughts. No advisory, educational or medical services of any kind are provided. The focus is purely on mutual support.

 Medication discussion is limited.

We do not discuss medications by names/dosages.  Any discussion should be general in nature. Because medication and other mental health treatments are specific to the patient, those conversations are best had with a physician or other mental health professional.

Comments are general in nature.

Please consider any discussion to be general in nature and not directly applicable to you. Attendees who are vulnerable to internalizing or taking comments personally should consider if attending is advisable. Consult a professional regarding your situation.

Please avoid arriving late or leaving early.

Arriving late/leaving early can be disruptive. Enter quietly if you arrive late. The facilitator may not stop and greet you. For continuity, the meeting will continue without interruption. You may share if time permits. Inform facilitator ahead if you plan to leave early.

Groups may not be best option.

A support group is not appropriate for anyone in the midst of major mania or the depths of depression. In those cases, it's best to seek more immediate, professional medical attention from a physician or other mental health professional. In an emergency, call 911.

Inappropriate behavior cannot be tolerated .

Unacceptable behavior--such as raising your voice, uttering inappropriate comments, making threatening actions, talking excessively--cannot be tolerated. Our groups are not suitable for anyone who cannot maintain composure and respect everyone in the group.

Groups do not provide therapy.

Our groups are not a substitute for therapy. If you are dealing with a personal matter that requires in-depth discussion, it is best to consult a professional. We are unable to spend extensive time on any one subject. We want everyone who chooses to share to have time.

Helpful Hints

Remember that we are all equal.+-

Accept cultural, linguistic, socialand racial differences and promote their acceptance.

Use "I" language.+-

Because we do not participate in support groups as credentialed professionals, we do not instruct or advise. We do, however, share from our own personal experiences. We are unique individuals, and only we know what is best for our own health (along with our doctor's recommendations.)

It's OK not to share.+-

People may simply listen if they choose.

It's everyone's responsibility to make the groups a safe place to share.+-

We respect confidentiality, treat each other with respect and kindness and show compassion.

Share the air.+-

We want as many people as possible to have the opportunity to share. Time is limited, though, so we ask that everyone be respectful of other participants' share-time needs.

Give back.+-

We recognize that we often benefit as much by supporting others as we do by sharing our own experiences.

One person shares at a time.+-

Each person should be able to share without interruptions/side conversations.

What is shared stays here.+-

This is the essential principle of confidentiality and must be respected.

Differences of opinion are OK.+-

We are all entitled to our own point of view.