Peer-Led Complex Trauma Support Group
Sundays in person from 2:00-4:00pm ET
We benefit from being together in community where the reality of complex trauma is acknowledged, so that we can have help meeting the unmet needs for our traumas.
Complex trauma is generally multiple traumas that occur over a long period of time, affecting the nervous system as well as other mental and physical aspects of health. If you resonate with having experienced complex trauma, it's also okay if it seems to not match our description offered here. It might be trauma you’ve lived through that feels complex to you, and trauma that continues to affect you and your life in complex ways.
Even if you only perceive that you might be a survivor, you are welcome here.
How do peer-led support groups work?
Volunteers take turns opening meetings by calling for volunteers to read the group's Relational Agreements out loud. Everybody is welcome to try to volunteer. It’s okay for volunteers to lack confidence; it’s okay for accidents to happen; and it’s okay to try again another time. If you offer to volunteer and become unable, you can pass at any moment by asking for a new volunteer. Throughout the meeting, everyone helps to make sure that everyone who needs to share has a chance.
Relational Agreements
Our groups' Relational Agreements are our mutually agreed upon intentions. The purpose of our Relational Agreements is to provide all of us with the bumpers or guardrails that we might need to be kind with each other. Chances are, if you are reading this, you might come from a place where there isn’t a lot of kindness. Relational Agreements are made for us to help each other with as much kindness as possible. This is different than a rule––a rule is enforced by someone or something outside of us. A relational agreement is actually something we want to do, even if we sometimes fail to do it or don’t really know how to do it well.
Who can attend group?
Anyone who wishes to be kind to others and wants to experience kindness themselves, really. Even if only part of you perceives that you might be a survivor, you are welcome here.
Does group membership have a fee? No.
Kindness and community should not have a monetary cost! We are however seeking skilled people to help with fundraising (web support, physical space, etc.) and funding our Emergency Hardship Program that functions to help people born into trafficking and life-threatening trauma conditions leave those conditions and get the kind of actionable help they need to stay free of those conditions.
How do I join?
We offer an orientation with peer-support group coordinators for new people wishing to join, in order to make sure that we are a good fit together. If you're interested, you can reach out to us at info@kindhelp.org and a group coordinator will be in touch!