ABSTRACT
Support and self-help groups are a type of psychoeducational group that is organized around members’ commonly held condition, issue, or concern, and can either have a trained or untrained peer group leader. These groups are most likely to be open groups with no consistent membership and are intended to provide group members with encouragement, support, and information. Suggestions are provided for designing leader-led support groups, and how to navigate some group challenges. Also presented is a discussion on the advantages and disadvantages of manualized groups whose processes and procedures are usually derived from studies that provide evidence for the efficacy of these. The final type of group presented is termed cyber/virtual groups as these are electronically or Internet delivered groups. Presented are descriptions for the various types or modes of delivery, and the unique ethical concerns these groups pose.
