Articles
Online discussion groups continue to offer hope in a post-pandemic world
Talk Time Online, a service offering free educational online discussion groups, continues to support hundreds of Cantabrians with their mental wellbeing.
The service began in 2020 in the middle of the global pandemic. Many mental health and addictions services had to close their doors, leaving vulnerable people without support.
The Mental Health Education and Resource Centre [MHERC] and Regional Alcohol and Drug [AOD] Consumer Advisor Marc Beecroft identified a need for a support service and set up Zoom to Noom, a series of online AOD education and discussion groups.
The groups, which were publicly available through MHERC’s website, offered anonymity—no registration was necessary—and members were welcome to turn off their cameras and use the chat function to communicate.
It removed some of the barriers to access, including transportation, time, and cost, and offered an alternative to in-person meetings.
Feedback was positive, and after lockdown ended many members returned to the groups week after week for support and connection.
Blair*, is in recovery after smoking methamphetamine every day for almost 18 years.
“The first zoom meeting I met some lovely faces and immediately felt accepted and such care from them.”
“I have attended almost every Wednesday meeting since, even zooming in from my car if I'm out, rather than miss a meeting.”
“I have almost zero family support and I live remotely with no community support, so the meetings are my sole support.”
“I feel so connected to the wonderful people I have met on these zoom meetings. The sharing of things to help in recovery has been invaluable as these people are so much like me and I trust their advice.”
“To date I have not relapsed once since quitting mid-August 2020.”
The service offers both peer and clinically facilitated education and discussion sessions, which may include a short presentation by an attending topic expert.
Uptake and feedback were encouraging, and the service was expanded to include a number of other online services, including Habits and Hints for Wellbeing, Tools for Managing Anxiety, Connecting through Motherhood and What’s Going on for my Child or Teen?
Tools for Managing Anxiety is a five-week discussion group to learn and share information and strategies for coping with anxiety, facilitated by an expert mental health professional. It continues to run as a regular series, with an average of 100 people registering for each series.
What’s going on for my Child or Teen?—a series of free webinars presented by expert facilitators—was advertised to the community in June 2022. More than 800 people registered, and the series was run again in October 2022.
MHERC director Adele Wilkinson says Talk Time Online offers access to support and education without some of the traditional barriers.
“People can just turn up online—they don’t need to get dressed, get out the door and then travel somewhere. They just need access to a device and the internet.”
“It offers an option for people who could find support in a group setting but would be unlikely to attend in person.”
“I think there is a real possibility to expand this in a big way. It offers up a huge range of possibilities for support and education.”
*Blair’s name has been changed to protect their anonymity.
- 19 October 2023