Women Helping Women

By Jeanne Rohach

There are over 4,500 free support groups in NJ to help persons struggling with difficult life situations. Hundreds of these groups were started by women who had a desire to not only connect with others who share similar experiences, but also to provide an avenue through which people can actively support, educate and encourage one another. Support groups can provide the added benefits of members sharing practical information and coping skills in an environment that values confidentiality.

There are a wide variety of support groups available to women in the northern New Jersey area including groups for parenting issues such as mothers interested in holistic health, parents of children with disabilities, parents of children with emotional, behavioral, or mental health issues, single parenting, and women in the process of separation or divorce. There are also grief support groups for women who are widowed early (under the age of 65) and women widowed with young children (ages 5-18). Women who find themselves in the position of care giving to their elderly parents or an ill spouse can find a group, as well as women living with breast cancer, depression, weight issues, an abusive relationship, a disability or a history of childhood abuse, among others.

Contact information to these and thousands of other mutual-aid support groups is available through a statewide toll-free helpline operated by The New Jersey Self-Help Group Clearinghouse. Funded by the Division of Mental Health Services and sponsored by Saint Clare’s Health System, the Clearinghouse provides other statewide services including free consultation on starting and running a self-help support group, free training workshops on group development and facilitation, and the annual printing of The Self-Help Support Group Directory.

For more information on starting a women’s group in your area, or to schedule a free presentation on the services of the Clearinghouse and the value and variety of support groups, contact Jeanne Rohach at (jrohach@saintclares.org). To purchase The Self-Help Support Group Directory or to obtain contact information on a support group, call the Clearinghouse
at 1-800-367-6274.