Photo 5 » Support groups are to be found in the natural world as well • A support group is a place for people to give and receive both emotional and practical support, as well as exchange information • It is also a place where people can get confirmation that their feelings are normal, where they can educate others or where they can just let off steam • People come together in a support group to share experiences associated with a particular problem • In a support group, members provide one another with various types of help, usually of a non-professional and non-material nature, concerning a particular shared, usually burdensome, objective. Listening to and accepting others’ experiences, providing sympathetic understanding and establishing social networks are also characteristics of a support group • There are over 500 support groups in the United States of America, the most common being Alcoholics Anonymous, which was founded in 1935. It has provided a safe space for over two million people around the world to talk to others who struggle with the same issues as themselves. Types of support groups There are many different types of support groups. A few are listed below: • • • • • • Bereavement/grief support groups Medical support groups Weight-loss support groups Family support groups Life-transition support groups Addiction support groups, and many others. 120 Community Healing: A training manual for Zimbabwe