CCI — Free Chronic Illness Online Support Groups
The Center for Chronic Illness (CCI) is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting well-being and decreasing isolation for anyone impacted by chronic illness. Based in Seattle, Washington, CCI offers a broad range of free, virtual support groups — from general chronic illness and chronic pain gatherings to specialized groups for BIPOC community members, LGBTQIA+ individuals, caregivers, teens, and those living with rare diseases. All programs are free of cost, meet via Zoom on a recurring schedule, and are open to participants across the United States — including residents of Alaska and other areas where in-person chronic illness support is limited or unavailable.
What to Expect
CCI groups are facilitated by licensed mental health professionals who create warm, psychoeducationally informed environments. This means sessions are not just open sharing — facilitators bring evidence-based coping tools, normalize the emotional complexity of living with chronic illness, and guide conversations with skill and intention. Group sessions typically run 60 to 90 minutes and meet on a biweekly or monthly basis depending on the group. Topics addressed across CCI’s programs include living with pain, adjusting to a new diagnosis, managing relationships and body image, navigating grief over lost function, and building an identity beyond illness. Registration is handled through the HeyPeers platform, which hosts the group calendar and meeting links.
Who This Group Is For
CCI serves adults (18+) and teens (12–17, with parent or guardian consent) living with any form of chronic illness or rare disease, as well as their loved ones and caregivers. Dedicated groups exist for African Americans, Latino/a/x individuals, and LGBTQIA+ people living with chronic illness — recognizing that these communities often face additional barriers when seeking health-related support. CCI also offers a specialized group for those experiencing chronic pain specifically, and a perinatal group for individuals managing illness during pregnancy or the postpartum period.
Why Peer Support Works
Chronic illness often upends identity, relationships, and daily routines in ways that are difficult for others to fully grasp. Professionally facilitated support groups — particularly those combining emotional validation with practical psychoeducational content — have consistently shown benefit for people managing long-term health conditions. They help reduce anxiety and depression, build coping capacity, and counteract the isolation that so often accompanies chronic illness. CCI groups provide this support in a format that is geographically barrier-free, making consistent, high-quality peer and professional support accessible to people in Alaska and other underserved regions.
How to Join
CCI programs are completely free. To register, visit thecenterforchronicillness.org/programs and follow the link to the HeyPeers sign-up page. Create a free HeyPeers account, browse the group calendar, and register for an upcoming session. You can also contact CCI directly at info@thecenterforchronicillness.org or by calling (425) 296-2705. Some specialized groups require a password — simply email CCI to request access.