For the past 32 years, the Westchester Self-Help Clearinghouse, a program of Westchester Jewish Community Services (WJCS), has provided free, confidential information and referral to more than 270 support groups that meet throughout the County. Our data base consists of national self-help groups as well. The Clearinghouse information is accessible to people at www.wjcs.com/SelfHelpClearinghouseDirectory or just a phone call away at 914-761-0600 x 308. If a group does not exist, assistance is provided to persons who are interested in starting a new group. Groups are available in a myriad of categories including health, mental health, addiction, caregivers, bereavement to name a few.
For many of life’s issues, there are no easy answers or easy cures, but there is an alternative to coping alone. Millions of people whose problems and needs are not met through formal health care and social service systems can find hope and personal support in self-help groups. The groups can provide emotional support and practical help in dealing with their problems. They share the special common bond that only someone dealing with the same experience can and it begins when one person says to another, “I know just how you feel.” Knowing that someone else truly understands one’s feeling by virtue of having been there brings a sense of relief that one’s pain is no longer a solo burden. For many people who feel stigmatized and hopeless, meeting with others who experience similar concerns helps to feel less alone, reduce isolation and anxiety and increase their strength and coping skills.
So, check us out on-line or give us a call…..we are here to help!
