There are a lot of good people in the world who have struggles they fight every day. One of the common ways some of them find the strength to carry on is in the company of others who share a similar experience. There are support groups that have been created to address a verity of topics, from grief support, parenting, caring for a loved one, trauma survivors, and so many more. These are people just like you who have an understanding of what you are going through.
If you are searching for support groups that are related to addiction recovery you can follow these links. We have separate categories for both drugs and alcohol as well as gambling. Please visit our Addiction & Recovery and Gambling & Gaming Help pages. If you are looking for ways to quit smoking click HERE.
Alternatives to Suicide (Toivo) is a peer-run support group for people struggling with suicidal thoughts or actions, as well as for those who are affected by the suicidal thoughts or actions of others.
This group is an open forum to talk about topics directly related to suicide or whatever else needs to be expressed. People are encouraged to come during times of crisis, as well as during times of strength.
Toivo is a peer-run, non-profit initiative through Advocacy Unlimited, Inc. that includes statewide classes, workshops and a center for holistic healing and stress management. Donation-based offerings include yoga, meditation, qigong, sound healing, laughter yoga, drumming, creative expression, healing arts, support groups and more. Most importantly, Toivo is a community, a safe space to find support and understanding. We believe human connection is essential to healing and is at the heart of everything we do.
Location: Hartford, CT
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention – Find a Support Group: AFSP lists U.S. and international suicide bereavement support groups as a public service to loss survivors. This service allows you to search for both online and in person groups from a wide verity of agencies and organizations. Searching by your zip code gives you options available in your area.
A note from RockingRecovery.org: As you know we strive to have the most up to date listings and resources available, that being said we have found that there is no one better than American Foundation for Suicide Prevention when it comes to searching for survivors of suicide support groups. Not all groups are publicly listed and we may not be aware of all groups in a given area. For this reason we are suggesting that you use the search on the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s website, Thank you.
Bereaved Parents of the USA (BPUSA): is a national non-profit self-help group that offers support, understanding, compassion and hope to bereaved parents grandparents or siblings struggling to rebuild their lives after the death of their children, grandchildren or siblings. There are no dues or fees to become a member of BPUSA and there are no paid salaries within the organization.
Locations: Clinton & Niantic
Bereavement Support Group – GriefShare: If you’ve suffered the passing of a family member or friend, it may be difficult to feel optimistic about the future. This can be a frustrating, lonely time as you face concerns for which there are no easy answers. GriefShare will help you work through these issues and move toward rebuilding hope.
Videos featuring interviews with grief and recovery specialists, real life case studies and other helpful tools are followed by group discussion with time to share about what’s going on in your personal journey as you receive support from the group.
You can visit their main website or select from a location below to see the meeting schedule in your area.
Locations: Avon – Berlin – Bethel – Brookfield – Clinton – Colchester – Columbia – Danielson – Derby – Eastford – Enfield – Fairfield – Groton – Madison – Manchester – Mansfield Center – Marlborough – Meriden – Middlefield – Monroe – New Britain – New Canaan – New Milford – Old Wethersfield – Plainfield – Sherman – Simsbury – South Windsor – Stamford – Thompson – Tolland – Trumbull – Uncasville – Vernon – Wallingford – Wethersfield – Willimantic & Windsor
Bereavement Support Group – Griffin Hospital: offers support groups for anyone experiencing the loss of a loved one. The meetings provide grief education and support to ease the pain of loss as well as encourage healing and growth. Meetings are facilitated by a member of the Spiritual Care department. Due to limited capacity, registration is required. To learn more or to register, contact Spiritual Care at or 203-732-1100 or 203-732-1132
Location: Derby, CT
Bereavement Support Group -The Cove: provides a free 20 week grief support group program for grieving children ages 4-18 years of age and their parent/caregivers. The Cove has 7 satellite sites in CT in West Hartford, East Hartford, Meriden, New Haven, Guilford, Stonington and Easton serving Newtown/Fairfield County. The Cove also partners with The Moyer Foundation to provide Camp Erin CT, a free berevement camp held once a year. Pathways to Healing and Good Grief in Schools are additional resources for young adults ages 18 to 25 and school aged children.
Locations: Guilford – Meridan – New Haven – Stonington – Easton (Serving Newtown/Fairfield County) – East Hartford & West Hartford
Cancer Support Group – Ann’s Place: support groups provide a safe, confidential place for those affected by cancer to learn from others about the impact of different treatments, share their personal experiences and concerns, and be a support to each other. Experienced professionals facilitate these groups which meet once or twice a month, some daytime and some evening, here at Ann’s Place. We have groups for those with cancer as well as for family members and caregivers.
Location: Danbury, CT
The C.A.R.E.S. Group (Community Addiction & Recovery Education & Support): The mission of The C.A.R.E.S. Group is to provide education, support, resources and hope for communities, families, and individuals struggling with substance abuse and addiction. Substance abuse and addiction affect not only the individual, but entire families. The C.A.R.E.S. Group promises to provide a confidential outlet for parents and other concerned family members or friends to discuss issues regarding a loved one’s suspected or confirmed use of mind-altering substances & obtain resources for recovery. Call us for one-on-one guidance or to connect with one of our peer-to-peer “Hope & Support” groups.
Locations: Danbury – Trumbull – New Milford – Shelton – Southbury & Stratford
Connecticut Hearing Voices Network (CT HVN) is designed to enhance current opportunities for voice hearers, persons who see visions or have other unusual sensory perceptions to find and build supportive peer communities through support groups and community education.
Locations: Click HERE to find a meeting near you.
Debtors Anonymous: offers hope for people whose use of unsecured debt causes problems and suffering. We come to learn that compulsive debting is a spiritual problem with a spiritual solution, and we find relief by working the D.A. recovery program based on the Twelve-Step principles. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop incurring unsecured debt. Even if members are not in debt, they are welcome in D.A. Our Fellowship is supported solely through contributions made by members; there are no dues or fees.
Location: Statewide – Find a meeting HERE
The Depression and Bipolar Alliance (DBSA) envisions wellness for people living with mood disorders (depression and bipolar disorder). We provides hope, help, support, and education to improve the lives of people who have mood disorders. DBSA offers peer-based, wellness-oriented support and empowering services and resources available when people need them, where they need them, and how they need to receive them—online 24/7, in local support groups, in audio and video casts, or in printed materials distributed by DBSA, our chapters, and mental health care facilities across America.
Location: Online / Connecticut Chapters
Emotions Anonymous: is an international fellowship of men and women who desire to improve their emotional well-being. EA members come together in weekly meetings for the purpose of working toward recovery from any sort of emotional difficulties. EA members are of diverse ages, races, economic status, social and educational backgrounds. The only requirement for membership is a desire to become well emotionally.
Location: Statewide – Find a meeting HERE
Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous: Food addiction can take many forms. Symptoms include obesity, anorexia, and bulimia. People often think of the term “eating disorders” when describing the disease of food addiction. Food addicts are obsessed with food, body size, and weight. We spend our days thinking about when and what we are going to eat or not eat. Binging, purging, and dieting are a way of life. The bottom line is that we can’t stop eating.
Location: Statewide – Find a meeting HERE
Men’s Group (Toivo) is a safe space to open up, set goals, hold accountability, and work together as men. This is an opportunity to change the story men have heard—that it is weak to feel—to a new story where there is strength in vulnerability.
It’s time to come together, grow, form bonds, and redefine our belief structures about what it means to be a man. Through mind-body practices, active listening, sharing, team-building exercises, as well as some fun and meditation, we will co-create a space to connect on a deeper level.
Toivo is a peer-run, non-profit initiative through Advocacy Unlimited, Inc. that includes statewide classes, workshops and a center for holistic healing and stress management. Donation-based offerings include yoga, meditation, qigong, sound healing, laughter yoga, drumming, creative expression, healing arts, support groups and more. Most importantly, Toivo is a community, a safe space to find support and understanding. We believe human connection is essential to healing and is at the heart of everything we do.
Overeaters Anonymous – Connecticut: OA is a Fellowship of individuals who, through shared experience, strength and hope, are recovering from compulsive overeating. We welcome everyone who wants to stop eating compulsively. There are no dues or fees for members; we are self-supporting through our own contributions, neither soliciting nor accepting outside donations. OA is not affiliated with any public or private organization, political movement, ideology or religious doctrine; we take no position on outside issues.
Location: Statewide – Find a meeting HERE
Overeaters Anonymous – Online Meetings: OA is a Fellowship of individuals who, through shared experience, strength and hope, are recovering from compulsive overeating. We welcome everyone who wants to stop eating compulsively. All OA meetings are autonomous and use free conference calling services that are not managed by OA. Anyone can dial into the call, so in the spirit of your own safety and security, please leave your contact information at your own discretion.
Location: Statewide Access
Postpartum Support International- Connecticut Chapter (PSI-CT): is a chapter of Postpartum Support International. PSI-CT works to increase support and provide resources for women and their families during pregnancy and the postpartum period (also known as the perinatal period), to increase awareness of the mental health challenges related to childbearing and parenting, and to provide perinatal mental training for childbirth professionals.
Location: Statewide / See a current listing of support groups here.
Visit their online support group: https://www.facebook.com/psictchapter/
Rainbow Alliance (Toivo) is a peer-led support group for LGBTQ+ adults or allies seeking a safe and reliable network of individuals who together can create and use tools to help navigate the everyday experiences of the community.
Toivo is a peer-run, non-profit initiative through Advocacy Unlimited, Inc. that includes statewide classes, workshops and a center for holistic healing and stress management. Donation-based offerings include yoga, meditation, qigong, sound healing, laughter yoga, drumming, creative expression, healing arts, support groups and more. Most importantly, Toivo is a community, a safe space to find support and understanding. We believe human connection is essential to healing and is at the heart of everything we do.
Sex Addicts Anonymous: As a fellowship of recovering addicts, Sex Addicts Anonymous offers a message of hope to anyone who suffers from sex addiction. Through long and painful experience, we came to realize that we were powerless over our sexual thoughts and behaviors and that our preoccupation with sex was causing progressively severe adverse consequences for us, our families, and our friends. Despite many failed promises to ourselves and attempts to change, we discovered that we were unable to stop acting out sexually by ourselves.
Location: Statewide – Find a meeting HERE
Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous – Connecticut: is a program for anyone who suffers from an addictive compulsion to engage in or avoid sex, love, or emotional attachment. We use the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions adapted from Alcoholics Anonymous to recover from these compulsions. All meetings listed are weekly, except for special occasions. For this weeks meeting schedule please visit their website.
Location: Statewide
Women’s Group (Toivo) offers a welcoming space for women to gather to share with, and support one another through life’s daily challenges. Sometimes, in recovery (no matter what we are in recovery from) we feel alone and/or overwhelmed in everyday life. This group provides a place for women to meet and talk.
We welcome those who are just taking their first steps toward trying to change their lives and those who already have experience traveling the path of recovery. In this group, we share our stories and life experiences with hope and encouragement. We are women meeting together to remind ourselves, and one another, that we don’t have to travel alone on our path of recovery!
Toivo is a peer-run, non-profit initiative through Advocacy Unlimited, Inc. that includes statewide classes, workshops and a center for holistic healing and stress management. Donation-based offerings include yoga, meditation, qigong, sound healing, laughter yoga, drumming, creative expression, healing arts, support groups and more. Most importantly, Toivo is a community, a safe space to find support and understanding. We believe human connection is essential to healing and is at the heart of everything we do.
Women for Sobriety, Inc., is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping women discover a happy New Life in recovery from Substance Use Disorders. Founded in 1975, the WFS New Life Program is based on thirteen Acceptance Statements which encourage emotional and spiritual growth. WFS has certified moderators and chat leaders leading mutual support groups online and in person, as well as phone volunteers available for one-on-one support. Any woman seeking an abstinent New Life is welcome to join WFS, and all expressions of female identity are welcome.
Location: Check site for meeting locations HERE.
Workaholics Anonymous: is a fellowship of individuals who share their experience, strength, and hope with each other that they may solve their common problems and help others to recover from workaholism.
The only requirement for membership is the desire to stop working compulsively. There are no dues or fees for W.A. membership; we are self-supporting through our own contributions. W.A. is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization or institution; does not wish to engage in any controversy; neither endorses nor opposes any causes. Our primary purpose is to stop working compulsively and to carry the message of recovery to workaholics who still suffer.
Location: Statewide – Find a meeting HERE
YouthRecoveryCT : If you’re struggling with addictive behavior, you’re not alone. At SMART recovery meetings, you’ll find support and learn tools to put yourself—not your addiction—back at the center of your life. There’s no cost, no pressure, and nothing to lose. Meet people you actually connect with in a Peer Group, and join us for fun, free social events and activities.
Location: See Website – Both in person and Zoom meetings are available.
