Peer Support Groups for the Brevard Community.

Anyone can attend our general gatherings if they are 18+ and agree to the space’s comfort agreement. Some gatherings are created specifically for certain communities to center shared lived experience and are important for things such as giving space where individuals do not have to educate, code-switch, and can find belonging. These include our Queer Company Gathering (for people who identify as LGBTQIA+) and our BIPOC Company Gathering (for black, indigenous, and people of color). We ask that you only register for identity-specific spaces you personally identify with and otherwise explore our general spaces.

Peer support groups are facilitated by trained peer support specialists. These are individuals with lived experience navigating mental health struggles who are trained to hold space for others from a place of mutuality that does not aim to fix, analyze, or pathologize individuals. Peer support is rooted in the belief that different things work for different people and encourages individuals to find what works for them while meeting them where they are. Where needed, a peer or other group members can share what has worked for them or what they have heard has been supportive for others. Peer specialists can be helpful in resource navigation or co-learning because they have “been there” themselves.

In a group setting, peer facilitators can help balance individual and collective needs by gently reminding group members of communally agreed-upon rules called a “Comfort Agreement.”

Comfort Agreements by gathering:

• Good Company Gathering
• Queer Company Gathering
• Your Black Matters Gathering
• BIPOC Company Gathering

Nope! There is never any pressure to share. You are more than welcome to just feel it out your first few times, or never share at all, and simply hold space with us. You do not have to share directly, and you also do not need to respond to what others may share—just listening to one another and being there together shows we care about what each person is navigating. We encourage you to meet your needs while respecting others.

Peer gatherings can look different depending on the peer facilitator or those in the space. Typically, you can expect:

• A short introduction that may include giving space for those who want to share things such as their name, pronouns, and either how they are joining the space on a 1-10 scale or a silly question.
• Review of the Comfort Agreement, as well as space for questions or adding to our needs for the day.
• Seeing who wants to share: This is done either with a virtual wheel for digital gatherings or a show of hands at the start of a group for in-person gatherings. If at any point you no longer want to share, you can say “pass for now.”
• Taking turns sharing. This can be anything from a win, something you are struggling with, something you are excited for, a show-and-tell of a recent art project—really, whatever you want. The floor is yours! After sharing, you can let us know how we can best support you.

Nothing! This is a free resource.

Our groups are 1 hour to 1.5 hours long. After everyone who wants to share gets the chance to, a group may end early.

We understand that life happens. While joining together to the best of our ability can be helpful, you are welcome to join and leave as needed. We ask that if you are not on time, you allow those who joined on time to be centered in getting an opportunity to share. If you join in the middle of somebody’s share, please do not ask them to repeat themselves.