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Starts 19th SepChildhood Trauma and Emotional Neglect
A support group to understand, process, and heal from childhood wounds.
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Intake Open • Join 1 Sep12 Week Bhagavad Gita Course
Introductory course to explore core concepts and key shlokas of the Bhagavad Gita.
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Starts 25th SepComplex Trauma Support Group
Support to rebuild inner safety and shift old emotional patterns.
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Starts 9th SepLoneliness Support Group
Learn 6 strategies to find joy in going solo!
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Starts 9th SepInfidelity Support Group
Support Group to process the impact of infidelity and regain clarity.
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Starts 22nd JulSelf Discovery Toolkit
Learn 6 strategies to find joy in going solo!
Interested in multiple groups?
If you plan to join more than one group this year, this is the most cost-effective way to do it.
- Unlimited Support Groups – Join any eligible group throughout the year at no extra cost.
- Exclusive Weekly Series – Join our weekly Women/Men Unfiltered sessions on relationships, career, identity, and mental health.
- 24 Free Peer Calls – Connect one-on-one with other members for support and shared experiences.
What is a support group and how do support groups work?
A support group is basically a space where people with similar experiences come together to listen and share their own perspectives. Support Groups at SoulUp are led by therapists or clinical psychologists and at times even by psychiatrists depending on the topic of the group. There's something quite helpful about talking to people who don't need the entire experience explained to them because they've been through something similar themselves.
Sessions usually follow a structure. You might start with a check-in, a particular theme, or an open floor where people can share what's going on with them. And then there is usually some time for reflection or discussion at the end. Support groups meet weekly or bi-weekly, either in person or online. Unlike individual therapy, the focus isn't on deep clinical work with one person; it's about people who relate to each other coming together to understand one another and work through what they're facing.
Each session is intentionally structured, combining guided sharing, practical tools relevant to the topic, and exercises or activities designed to help people apply what they're learning. The group format adds a layer individual sessions can't: you hear different perspectives and approaches to the same challenge, while also seeing your own experience reflected and validated by others. That combination of structure and shared experience makes both the learning and the insights richer.
Who should join a support group?
Support groups are built around a specific shared experience, things like grief, chronic illness, addiction recovery, caregiving, or a particular mental health condition. Being around people who've lived through the same thing means you're not explaining yourself from scratch. You're talking to people who already understand the details of what you're going through.
Many mental health struggles thrive in isolation, and thoughts like "no one understands this" or "I feel alone" can make things harder to carry. Support groups counter that directly. Hearing how other people navigate something similar, not just one person's story but several different approaches, can be validating on its own and often sparks new ideas for how you might cope.
Support groups aren't reserved for severe or clinical issues. The group can center on a clinical theme or a more everyday one; either way, wanting connection is reason enough to join. Plenty of people join simply because they want peer support or want to be around others who understand their experience.
There's no right stage to start. Some people join while in active therapy, others while taking a break from it, and others while still deciding if they need professional support at all. In some cases, a therapist may even recommend a specific group as part of someone's broader care.
Are there different types of groups?
Yeah, there are actually many different types of support groups.
- Support Groups - Support-focused groups - Support groups are more informal and center on shared experience. They're typically led by therapists without running it as treatment. The focus stays on connection, encouragement, and coping with something that can't necessarily be changed.
- Therapy Groups - Therapy groups are led by licensed therapists and are more structured and clinically driven. Sessions are built around specific therapeutic goals, using tools like CBT or DBT to work toward change, not just support.
- Skill-based/Workshop style groups - which focus on teaching specific coping mechanisms, such as emotional regulation, communication skills, or stress management.
- Decision Groups - Decision groups are designed to help you navigate important life decisions. Rather than telling you what to do, they help you unpack the emotions and fears tied to the decision, clarify your values and priorities, and look at it from multiple perspectives before you land on what feels right for you
If you're unsure about which kind of group you might want to join, you can always set up a discovery call at SoulUp before joining to understand what kind of group may work best for you.
What if I'm nervous about speaking in front of strangers? Can I just listen without talking?
It's okay to be nervous. A lot of people are. And in a lot of groups, you're actually allowed to just listen without speaking. You won't be forced to share before you're ready. If there's some internal hesitation, just understand that a lot of other participants are probably feeling the same thing. The facilitators are also trained to make sure there isn't a lot of pressure on people to speak before they're comfortable.
If you feel hesitant, know that it often becomes easier to share and open up once you hear others speak and realize how much of their experiences, thoughts, and feelings resonate with your own. Over time, as you get to trust the group a bit more, you can start sharing whatever you want to.
How long does it usually take before support groups start helping?
There's no fixed timeline for when support groups start helping, but each session is designed to give you something to take away, space to share, practical tools relevant to the topic, and exercises to work through. Because of that structure, most people find value from the very first session. Change tends to become more noticeable with consistency, as you keep attending and build on what came up in earlier sessions.
If you're unsure what to expect or what you'll get out of it, each support group's page includes detailed session agendas so you can see exactly what's covered before you join.
More than anything, consistency matters because trust and openness take time to build. You're getting to know the people in the group, and they're getting to know you too. So, if you've attended a group consistently for a long time and still feel like it's not helping, it might be worth trying a different group or considering some other form of support.
How does a support group relate to therapy? Can it replace therapy, and can I join one while already seeing a therapist?
Support groups and therapy offer different functions, and they don't replace each other. Support groups combine the benefit of a therapist's expertise with the value of peer support, giving you structured guidance alongside the perspectives of others who understand what you're going through. Therapy, on the other hand, goes deeper. It's worked through with a trained professional in a structured, confidential space that's shaped specifically around your circumstances.
So it really depends on what you need. If you need something to help you feel less alone and hear about how other people cope, then you might want to consider attending a support group.
There is no conflict between the two. You can attend both at the same time, and for some people, the combination can be really effective. If you feel like one of these is enough on its own, then you can definitely choose to go forward with that. It really depends on what kind of support you need.
Can I attend more than one support group?
There is no rule about how many support groups you can attend. You can attend a group about grief and a group about chronic illness simultaneously, for example.
The main considerations are practical, like time commitment, emotional bandwidth, and whether the groups start to feel overwhelming rather than supportive. If you find yourself thinking, “That sounds like a lot,” then you might want to scale back. You can also attend one group for peer support and another that's skill-based or a therapy group for something that's more structured. So, as long as it's sustainable and it's something that's helping you rather than draining you emotionally, attending multiple groups is completely fine.
What if I don't relate to anyone in the group?
Groups can vary a lot based on age range, experiences, communication styles, and the dynamics within the group. So if you keep thinking, “Nobody understands my situation here,” you might want to change to a different group that's more focused on your circumstances. Or you might want to try a different facilitator or a different format.
You might also want to wait for 1-2 sessions before deciding, because initial impressions can be a bit finicky. Your impression of the group can change once you get to know the other members better and become a little more comfortable. But if, even after a couple of sessions, you still feel like nobody understands you there or you can't connect with anyone, then you can change groups. It's okay if one particular group isn't the right fit for you.
Are support groups suitable for severe mental health conditions or if I haven't received a diagnosis?
Support groups can be used as an addition when you're dealing with a severe condition, but they aren't sufficient on their own for severe conditions. If you're dealing with an acute condition, an active crisis, or psychosis where you pose a significant risk to yourself or others, professional psychiatric or clinical care is the right first step rather than a support group. If you're unsure whether a group is safe or appropriate for you right now, it's worth checking with your clinician or therapist before joining. Once you receive appropriate treatment, a support group can offer additional support, where you can hear about other people's coping mechanisms and, more importantly, not feel so isolated.
On the other hand, you don't need a formal diagnosis to join a support group. There are many groups for different kinds of conditions and different kinds of experiences. So even if you haven't been diagnosed with anything, you can still attend a support group if you feel like you would benefit from being around people who understand what you're going through. Some specialised groups do require a diagnosis, though, so it's better to check the group's focus and eligibility before joining.
Are support groups safe and confidential, and can I join anonymously?
Support groups operate on mutual confidentiality, which basically means that whatever is shared within the group stays within the group. There are usually explicit rules that cover this as well. That being said, confidentiality in a group setting relies on participants honouring the agreement. There isn't the same kind of legal obligation that you would have with a licensed professional, so you might want to ask the facilitator what practices are in place if there is a breach of confidentiality.
Many groups also allow a degree of anonymity, where you can use only your first name or withhold personal details that you're not comfortable sharing. But if privacy is a concern, you can definitely ask the facilitator how disclosure works and what you can keep private. A good facilitator will respect that boundary and make sure that the group remains a space where you feel safe and comfortable.
What should I expect, and how do I prepare for my first support group session?
Preparation doesn't need to be extensive. It helps to have a general sense of why you're attending, even if that reason is simply "I want to feel less alone in this." All Soulup Groups explain their format and ground rules at the start, so you don't need detailed knowledge going in, and you're never obligated to share anything in your first session, observing is entirely acceptable and it's okay to leave early sessions thinking "I'm still not sure how this works for me."
Over time, most people find themselves opening up more and feeling less isolated.
It's also important to fill out the intake form, which covers your experience with the challenge and the goals you're coming in with. This helps the facilitating therapist prepare better for the group. Reaching out to the facilitator beforehand with any questions can also help ease first-session nerves.
FAQs
What are SoulUp Groups?
At SoulUp, you'll meet people who get what you're going through and might be living some of the same realities. People looking for extraordinary conversations, just like you.
✔️ Small group, 6-8 people
✔️ Every meeting led by a world-class facilitator
✔️ Weekly 75-minute online video sessions
What happens in a group session?
While the format can vary as per topic, here’s a flow that most sessions follow
Check In. Participants check-in with each others' feelings and answer the prompt given by the facilitator if any.
Conversation. Your facilitator will guide the group in a free-flowing conversation—with the goal of sharing openly, talking honestly, and deep emotional connection.
Check Out. Participants share what they're taking away from the session.
What am I going to get out of this?
Participants say that they feel heard, understood, more in control, and a feeling that you’ve got people rooting for you. By talking about your emotions and what's going on in your life, you'll realise that you're not alone and get ideas for how to improve your situation.