Groups led by individuals who have personally experienced life crises are known as what?

Groups led by individuals who have personally experienced life crises are referred to as self-help groups. These groups provide a platform for individuals to share their experiences and coping strategies in a supportive environment, emphasizing shared understanding and collective healing. Facilitators in self-help groups often relate to the participants through their own experiences, creating a sense of empathy and connection that can enhance the support offered.

Self-help groups often focus on various life crises, such as addiction, grief, parenting challenges, or mental health issues. The mutual support from individuals who have faced similar circumstances can empower members, foster resilience, and promote recovery through shared experiences. This peer-led model is distinctively different from other group types, which may not involve leaders with personal experience prevalent in the challenges being addressed.

Supportive therapy groups, for example, are typically led by trained professionals and may not always involve leaders who have encountered similar life crises. Psychoeducational groups focus on providing education about specific issues rather than the shared experience, while task-oriented groups are centered around achieving specific goals or tasks rather than offering mutual support through life experiences.