Peer support
You are allowed to be in a room with people who get it.
Peer support is people with lived experience showing up for each other. Below are verified groups, warmlines, and moderated communities you can reach today — plus what actually happens at a first meeting.
Start here
What peer support is — and what it is not.
What it is
Shared experience. A place to say the hard sentence out loud and have someone nod instead of flinch. Practical ideas from people who have been where you are. Regular contact that makes an ordinary week feel less isolating.
What it is not
It is not therapy, medical care, or crisis response, and it does not replace any of them. Peer support works best alongside professional care — not instead of it.
Beyond September does not run groups, host a forum, or provide peer support. We point you to organizations that do this work with trained facilitators and real accountability.
Verified September 2026
A few places to start
These are well-established starting points, not a full directory. Each is free and peer-led.
Didi Hirsch — Suicide Attempt Survivor Support Groups
Free online groups specifically for adults who have attempted suicide, led by facilitators with lived experience.
Verified September 2026 against didihirsch.org
NAMI Connection Recovery Support Groups
Free, confidential, peer-led groups for adults living with mental health conditions. Family groups are also available.
Verified September 2026 against nami.org
AFSP — Suicide Loss Support Groups
A searchable directory of support groups for people grieving a suicide loss.
Verified September 2026 against afsp.org
Peer Support Warmlines
Warmlines are staffed by trained peers for conversation and support before a situation becomes a crisis. Hours vary by state.
Verified September 2026 against warmline.org
For more options
Looking for more groups than these?
We keep this list short on purpose. For a wider search across support options — including groups by location, identity, and situation — go to FindSupportToday.com, an independent companion resource.
Visit FindSupportToday.com ↗Before your first meeting
What to expect when you walk in.
You do not have to talk
Most groups let you listen for as long as you need. Saying “I'm just here to listen today” is a normal, accepted thing to say.
You choose what to share
You are never required to describe an attempt, a method, a diagnosis, or how you got here. Share only what feels safe.
There is usually a structure
Many groups open with ground rules, then go around the room. Knowing the shape of the hour takes some of the pressure off.
One meeting is not the verdict
Groups differ a lot in tone. If the first one is not your fit, that is information about the group, not about you. Try another.
Safe spaces
How to tell whether a group is safe.
Peer support is powerful when it is well run. Use this as a checklist for any group, meeting, or online community — including ones you find on your own.
- Facilitators are named, trained, and accountable to an organization.
- Confidentiality is stated out loud and applied to everyone.
- There are clear rules against describing suicide methods in detail.
- Crisis situations are escalated to professional help, not handled by the group.
- No one is pressured to share, to stay, or to pay.
- Advice about medication or treatment is left to your prescriber, not the group.
If a group pressures you, dismisses professional care, charges for access to support, or lets people describe methods in detail, leave. Leaving a group that does not feel safe is a good decision, not a failure.
Free PDF guides
Guides for reaching out and staying connected.
Educational guides, not medical advice or crisis care. Read them online or keep a copy.
How to Become Someone's Friend
What to Do to Build Connection
How to Get Involved in Your Community
What to Say When You Reach Out
How to Tell Your Story
Keep going
Looking for something longer-term?
Beyond September is a guide, not a provider.
We do not provide crisis, therapy, medical, diagnostic, or peer-support services, and we do not host a forum. We connect people to verified organizations and education.