By
- Pam Mastriano, The Republican
Bilingual Diabetes Education and Support Group
HOLYOKE – Holyoke Medical Center will host an ongoing bilingual Diabetes Education and Support Group for community members with diabetes. Diabetes education will be provided at each meeting with a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist or member of the HMC Endocrinology & Diabetes Center team. The group will meet every Wednesday from 9 to 11 a.m. in the Holyoke Medical Center Medical Office Building Conference Room located at 11 Hospital Drive, 3rd Floor. For more information or questions regarding the Diabetes Education and Support Group, please contact the HMC Endocrinology & Diabetes Center at 413.534.2820.
WILBRAHAM – Rick’s Place provides free, peer grief support groups for youth (ages 5-18) and their caregivers. Rick’s Place offers young people and their families a place to remember their loved ones and to avoid the sense of isolation that such losses can produce Rick’s Place was established in 2007, in memory of Rick Thorpe, who died in Tower Two of the World Trade Center on 9/11. This is for young people and their families from all over Western Massachusetts and Northern Connecticut and offered at no charge. To participate in these free grief support programs provided by Rick’s Place, email info@ricksplacema.org or call 413-279-2010.
Virtual support groups for patients and families facing cancer
PALMER – Cancer support groups – led by Camille St. Onge, oncology social worker for Baystate Health – will be offered in the coming months. Support groups are designed to help patients, their families, and caregivers cope with the challenges of a cancer diagnosis
Groups offered included: General Cancer Support Group: 1st Wednesday of the month, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; Partners in Caregiving, 2nd Wednesday of the month, 5 to 6:30 p.m.; Expressive writing through Cancer, 3rd Wednesday of the month, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Breast Cancer Support group, 4th Wednesday of the month, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. All meetings are currently being held virtually and are made possible through funds raised by the Walk of Champions. For more information, contact St. Onge at 413-239-7239 or email cstomagin@gmail.com
NAMI online/phone support group
HOLYOKE – The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI-WM) of Western Massachusetts would like to inform the public that the NAMI Connection Recovery Support Groups have resumed in a virtual format
Mondays, 6 to 7:30 p.m. Access online with zoom: https://us02web.zom.us/j/88206475051; access by phone, 646-558-8656, meeting ID: 88206475051
Wednesdays, 6 to 7:30 p.m. Access online with zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82690755017; access by phone, 646-558-8656, meeting ID 82690755017. For more information, contact the office or go to namiwm.org/support
For members of the LGBTQIA+ community, Wednesdays, 7:15 to 8:45 p.m. For more information email: triciafitz7@gmail.com
Shiloh SDA Church and The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI-WM) of Western Massachusetts announces a new Family and Friends Support group for black and brown communities. The Black & Brown Family & Friends Support Group meets on the first Thursday of every month. A Zoom link will be provided for participants. For more information, contact the NAMI-WM office at 413-786-9139 or email information@namiwm.org
A diagnosis is not required to attend any group. Anyone with mental health condition is welcome to attend any group without prior registration
NAMI – Western Massachusetts Family Support Group
GREENFIELD – The National Alliance on Mental Illness of Western Massachusetts announces that their Family Support Group in Greenfield is resuming in person. The group meets monthly on the last Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Clinical Support Options (CSO), 296 Federal Street, across from Sandri’s Gas Station
In NAMI Family Support Groups, families join a caring group of individuals helping one another by utilizing their collective lived experiences and learned wisdom. Family members can achieve a renewed sense of hope for their loved one living with mental health challenges. NAMI’s support groups are unique because they follow a structured model, ensuring everyone can be heard and get what they need: free, confidential, and safe; designed for adult loved ones of people with mental health conditions; led by family members of people with mental health conditions; no specific medical therapy or treatment is endorsed. For more information, contact the NAMI-WM office at 413-786-9139 or information@namiwm.org.
MJD Support Group
LUDLOW – The Michael J. Dias Foundation provides education, area reing with a loved one with a substance use disorder. A support group gathers on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month from 6 to 7:15 p.m. at Our Lady of Fatima Parish Center, 438 Winsor St. anyone needing support is welcome to attend. Masks are required and guests will be seated six feet apart. If you have any questions, contact Maureen at 413-563-6226
Grief support group
CHICOPEE – Saint Rose de Lima Grief Support Group meets every Monday except major holidays from 6 to 7:30 p.m. This free weekly grief support group is for people who have experienced the loss of a spouse, partner, family member or friend. All are welcome. The group meets at Saint Rose de Lima Pastoral Center, 15 Chapel St
Online Stroke Support Group
SPRINGFIELD – The Springfield College Occupational Therapy (OT) Department offers a free weekly support group for people living with stroke and their caregivers. The group meets in a virtual format on Zoom every Thursday from 3 to 4:00 p.m. Facilitated by Kathy Post, Professor Emeritus, with the assistance of 1 or 2 OT graduate students, the group provides opportunities to meet other stroke survivors from western Massachusetts, and to share challenges, successes, questions, and resources. For further information and the link to the meetings, email Kathy at kpost@springfieldcollege.edu
Narcotics Anonymous
AGAWAM – To find a local Narcotics Anonymous support group, visit NERNA.ORG or WesternMassNA.org or call 866-NA-HELP-U
Survivors of Suicide Loss
EAST LONGMEADOW – Survivors of Suicide Loss, a support group for adults who have lost a loved one to suicide, meets on the 3rd Monday of each month (except in the event of severe weather) at the Forastiere Smith Funeral Home, 220 North Main St., East Longmeadow, MA from 6:30 PM to 8 PM. This is a peer-facilitated group. The meetings are open, meaning new members are always welcome. Preregistration is not required
Free accessible broadcast readings
SPRINGFIELD – Free 24/7 accessible local news and information is available from Valley Eye Radio for those in the Pioneer Valley no longer able to read independently due to visual and other medical and physical challenges. Contact them at www.valleyeyeradio.org or (413) 747-7337 for details on how to listen from one of their special radios or through their website, smart speakers, cable access channel, or mobile phone
New Virtual Peer Support Groups
ONLINE – GPS is a Massachusetts-based nonprofit dedicated to providing peer-led support programs for individuals navigating mental health challenges, chronic illness, postpartum adjustment, caregiving, and other life transitions. Our trained facilitators with lived experience help participants connect, share strategies, and build resilience—complementing clinical care with community-based support. The programs are all virtual
GPS for the Black Community: GPS hosts a free support group for people who identify as Black. Participants come together to share challenges and joys, speak boldly, and show their full selves in a safe, supportive space. The group meets Mondays from 6 to 7:30 p.m. EST. All who identify as Black are welcome. To register, email info@gpsgroup.org or visit www.gpsgroup.org
GPS for Everyone – Stronger Together: This open support group welcomes anyone seeking peer support. Topics may include challenges faced by healthcare workers, parents, those with illness, or experiences tied to identity and current events. The group meets Wednesdays from 6:30 to 8 p.m. EST. All are welcome. To register, email info@gpsgroup.org or visit www.gpsgroup.org
GPS for People in Recovery: Designed for those in recovery, this free group provides a confidential space to talk about experiences you may not discuss elsewhere. Meetings are facilitated by people with lived experience. The group meets Wednesdays from 7 to 8:30 p.m. EST. All who identify as being in recovery are welcome. To register, email info@gpsgroup.org or visit www.gpsgroup.org
Más Fuertes Juntas – Grupo de Apoyo para Mujeres Latinas: This Spanish-language support group, created by and for Latinas, provides a safe space to share experiences, connect, and feel heard without judgment. Each session includes respectful listening, self-care tools, and validation of personal experiences. The group meets Thursdays from 7 to 8:30 p.m. EST (4 to 5:30 p.m. PST). To register, email info@gpsgroup.org or visit www.gpsgroup.org
Standing Together: Navigating Hate, Harm, and Healing: When our teens experience harm, exclusion, or emotional pain, we often feel it in our own hearts. Standing Together is a compassionate GPS support group for parents and caregivers to pause, connect, and find steadiness amid the challenges of raising teens in a complex world. The group meets on Tuesdays from 7 to 8:30 p.m. ET. All parents and caregivers are welcome. To register, email info@gpsgroup.org or visit www.gpsgroup.org
Becoming Us: A GPS Space for Moms: Becoming Us is a GPS support group for moms navigating the changes, challenges, and transformations that come with life after birth. Together, we create a gentle and compassionate space to pause, reflect, and reconnect — honoring both the beauty and the complexity of motherhood. The group meets on Wednesdays from 1 to 2:30 p.m. ET. All moms are welcome. To register, email info@gpsgroup.org or visit www.gpsgroup.org
Reclaiming Ourselves: A GPS Group for Women in Menopause and Perimenopause:As our bodies and lives shift through menopause and perimenopause, we may find ourselves moving through waves of emotion, change, and rediscovery. Reclaiming Ourselves is a compassionate GPS support space for women to pause, connect, and find grounding during this powerful life transition. The group meets on Thursdays from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. ET. All who relate to being a woman in menopause or perimenopause are welcome. To register, email info@gpsgroup.org or visit www.gpsgroup.org.
