We all need other people to help us through tough times and there’s power in feeling like someone understands you and your experience. Supporters of peer-to-peer groups for mental health say that’s exactly their power.

MPR News host Angela Davis speaks with two Minnesotans who have been to support groups themselves about how the groups helped them and what new members can expect.

Guests:

• Chelsey Shoup is a NAMI Connection Recovery Support Group state trainer and co-leads facilitator training for NAMI Minnesota. She started attending NAMI Minnesota Connections peer-to-peer groups in 2012 while she was a college student. In May 2016, she was trained to facilitate Connections groups and has been facilitating in some capacity ever since.




• Bill Dobbs facilitates the Addiction Busters peer-to-peer support group at the Twin Cities Men’s Center. He started attending a men’s support group in about 1984 and became a facilitator in 2014. He’s a former TCMC board member and he’s the current editor of the Men Talk newsletter.

Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or RSS. 

Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.