Background: Over the past years self-help organizations have become an essential part of prevention and rehabilitation in German health care. It was the aim of our enquiry to inform experts and interested persons about the most important self-help organizations (SHO) and self-help groups (SHG) of different fields in behavioral medicine. Methods: 70 SHO and SHG of different fields in behavioral medicine were selected dealing with allergy and asthma, congenital disorders, relatives of patients with psychic disorders, anxiety disorders, chronic pain disorders, eating disorders, diseases of the musculoskeletal system, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and incontinence, skin diseases, hearing and speech disorders, life crises, disorders pertaining to the nervous system, personality disorders and psychic problems, abuse, or obsessive-compulsive disorders. The selected SHO and SHG received a structured questionnaire including questions regarding (1) address, (2) means of contact, (3) group of interest, (4) tasks and aims, (5) provision, (6) structure of organizations, and (7) comments. Results: 90% of SHO replied, 56 SHO sent back the questionnaire completely answered, 5 institutions sent material of information instead, and 30 included both questionnaire and information material. The data clearly show the extensive support SHO might offer to sufferers. Conclusions: This report provides an informative overview of SHO. It might help to support the already existing cooperation between experts and SHO in this field.