5 Depression support groups on long island

In this blog we present to you a list of Depression support groups based on Long Island. 

We also briefly discuss what depression groups are, what support groups are, what they do, what are the benefits of being part of a support group, and the efficacy of support groups.

Depression support groups on long island

Here is a list of depression support groups based in long island:

Long Island Mental Health Counselling PLLC

This is a mental health counselling service provider that also provides depression counselling and group support. 

Long Island Psychology and Consulting Services

This particular service provider offers psychotherapy services to pre-teens, adolescents, adults, parents, couples and families. 

Virtual Grief/bereavement Support Group

This service provider provides tele group therapy to help people deal and cope with the loss of a loved one. It focuses on tackling the issue of the isolating experience of grief and bereavement. 

Young Adult Group

This service provider provides group therapy and counselling for male and female clients ages 18-25 on issues related to Anxiety, Depression; Transition and Change; Sexuality; Alcohol and Substance Use and Abuse.

DiPaola Psychotherapy

Another service provider that also provides group therapy and support groups for a myriad of mental health issues. 

Relational Self-Esteem Group

This group provides its members with the space to work through identity and self-esteem conflicts while providing support with the effort to help people cope with anxiety and depression. 

Virtual Grief/bereavement Support Group

This service provider provides tele group therapy to help people deal and cope with the loss of a loved one. It focuses on tackling the issue of the isolating experience of grief and bereavement. 

DBT Skills Group

This service provider offers group support for DBT skills learning and training for people who are struggling with mental health issues and offers collaborative work with the individual members’ own personal therapists in the process. 

Teen Girls Group

This service provider provides group support for teen girls between the ages of 13-17 who are struggling with Anxiety, Depression and emotional regulation to help build self-esteem and learn coping skills.

Virtual Adult DBT skills Groups

This Service provider offers group support for DBT skills learning and training for people who are struggling with mental health issues.

New Moms Group

This is a group support service for new mothers who might be dealing with anxiety and worry as well as helping them cope as well as deal with the challenges of being a new mother. 

Telehealth Women’s YA Group

This is a support group for young adults and targets topics that young adults experience such as anxiety, school/career challenges, societal expectations, limited outlets, family/friendship dynamics, self-esteem and identity issues.

Teen Grief Support Group

This is a support group for adolescents to help with coping with the loss of a loved one. 

What are depression support groups?

Depression support groups are support groups where people who are suffering from depression can meet each other, connect and share their experiences. 

These groups give the members a safe space to share their stories, find support, and find comfort in the company of other people. 

 The members could learn about new coping methods by teaching each other about how to use them and where they used it the most and it was most effective. 

Most people with depression often isolate themselves and disconnect from society and even their loved ones. A support group is a great way for them to make connections and talk to people who understand each other in a way that no one else could. 

Being in a support group makes people realise that the best advice and encouragement comes from a person who shares the same symptoms and conditions. 

Either support groups alone, or attending a support group while also receiving medication can go a long way in helping the person cope and overcome their symptoms. Joining a support group is one of the best ways to cope with depression.

What is a support group?

A support group is where a group of people, who share the same problems or issues, gather and interact with each other. They talk about their feelings and their struggles, knowing that they are in a safe space and are surrounded by people who understand and relate to them. 

The members of the support groups provide each other with comfort and advice from their own experiences and help each other overcome their issues. The people can also share the progress that they have made and the changes they have seen over time.  

When people are part of a support group, they not only share their struggles, but also their victories, no matter big or small. 

A support group is a safe place where people can speak comfortably about whatever they feel like talking about. Support groups usually have clear rules about who can attend and who cannot attend; this is mostly pertaining to the particular kind of condition that the support group handles. 

If the group is run by a facilitator, then there will be clear guidelines and the facilitator will help everyone stay on track with the treatment. The facilitator will also help the newcomers adjust to the support group. 

If the support group is peer led then they will occasionally bring in guest speakers such as doctors, therapist specialists and so on who will help widen the knowledge of the participants on a particular topic. 

A support group is not helpful if the facilitator is not involved and is lacking in their skills and training. The most important thing about a support group is the confidentiality of people’s experiences.

What are the different kinds of support groups?

Depending on the needs of the individual, different support groups have been made in order to help people achieve those needs. 

The types of support groups are:

Mutual support groups

These groups are peer-led groups where the participants are dealing with a certain condition or situation and they share what coping mechanisms or strategies are working for them and motivate each other to do the same. 

12-step self-help groups 

These groups are usually meant for people dealing with an addiction such as alcohol. The support groups design a strategy of 12 steps that they will follow and motivate each other to do so.

Therapy groups 

These groups are led by mental health providers where they treat several people who share the same symptoms at the same time.

Online support groups 

These groups come in handy when a person is unable to attend a physical support group. They work similarly to other support groups, except here they cannot meet in person. It can be as effective as other offline support groups.

What are the benefits of a support group?

There are many benefits that come with joining a support group.

• Finding a safe place where the person will be able to share their experiences openly and freely without any fear of criticism.

• Re-instill hope in the people or fosters hope for all the participating members of the support group.

• Learn about effective coping strategies that they may not have known of earlier. These coping strategies could immensely help them

• People with depression often isolate themselves and joining a support group can help them overcome that isolation and show them once again how important it is to connect with people and share their feelings

• Support groups helps a person build a social network of support

• They learn that there are a lot of services out there that will help them overcome their condition efficiently

• Support groups allow the members to help each other encourage each other and also learn from each other and everyone experiences

• As the person learns ways to cope with symptoms of depression it also helps them understand themselves on a deeper level it helps them understand what are they needs and how they should be able to reach them are satisfied them

• By listening to the experiences of the other participants the person will be able to better manage their choices and decisions in order to avoid the same pitfalls that their fellow participants had fallen into. 

• By interacting with the others, the person also learns about different ways by which they could care for themselves, manage their stress, how to improve their sleeping and eating habits and how to strengthen their physical and mental health

 

Do support groups work?

A study was conducted in 2018, where the researchers reviewed various literature and came to a conclusion about the effectiveness of support groups. 

The study was conducted with the aim to update and consolidate the knowledge and the evidence for the effectiveness of mental health support groups. 

The study found that there is a long line of evidence that support groups do help, hence proving the efficacy of support groups. The review also identified the reasons for the success of the support groups which includes:

• peer leadership
• Family involvement
• Professional facilitation or co-facilitation
• Use of manualized programs

They also stated that the support groups field would grow from further research on whether people with mental illnesses use other types of community groups for support and how it helps in comparison to traditional support groups.

Conclusion

In this blog we presented to you a list of Depression support groups based in Long island. 

We have also briefly discussed what dep[ression groups are, what support groups are, what they do, what are the benefits of being part of a support group, and the efficacy of support groups.

FAQ related to depression support groups long island

What do grief support groups do?

Grief support groups help people deal and cope with the loss of a loved one. It focuses on tackling the issue of the isolating experience of grief and bereavement. 

Does group therapy work for depression?

Yes. Group therapy does work for depression. A study was conducted in 2018, researchers found that there is a long line of evidence that support groups do help, hence proving the efficacy of support groups.

Are support groups worth it?

Yes, support groups are worth the effort since it provides you with a space to be supported. Support groups allow the members to help each other encourage each other and also learn from each other and everyone experiences

References

Worrall, Hugh; Schweizer, Richard; Marks, Ellen; Yuan, Lin; Lloyd, Chris; and Ramjan, Rob, “The effectiveness of support groups: a literature review” (2018). Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health – Papers: part A. 5441.

https://ro.uow.edu.au/smhpapers/5441

Tony Hoi. ‘Support Groups: Types, Benefits, and What to Expect’. Help Guide. Retrieved on 28th April 2022. 

Support Groups: Types, Benefits, and What to Expect

Sean Galla. ‘DEPRESSION SUPPORT GROUPS: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW’. Men’s Group. Retrieved on 28th April 2022. https://mensgroup.com/depression-support-groups

Depression Support Groups in Long Island. Psychology Today. Retrieved on 28th april 2022. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/groups/ny/nassau-county?category=depression