Free Depression & Bipolar Peer Support Cleveland | DBWA
The Depression and Bipolar Wellness Alliance Cleveland (DBWA) runs free, weekly, peer-led mood disorder support groups for adults in the Cleveland area. An independent local chapter inspired by the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance model, DBWA has been gathering members in person and online for years and remains entirely free, drop-in friendly, and open to anyone living with depression, bipolar disorder, or related mood challenges — diagnosis or not. The group has built a stable, returning membership while staying easy to join for first-timers.
What to Expect
DBWA Cleveland hosts in-person and Zoom support groups on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7:00 p.m., each followed by an optional social hour where members can keep talking informally. Meetings open with confidentiality guidelines and a quick check-in round; the floor is then open for whatever members bring — symptoms, medication questions, relationships, work stress, isolation, or simply the experience of having a hard week. Facilitators are themselves living with mood disorders and use the peer support model, not therapy. There is no curriculum, no fee, and no expectation that you speak before you are ready. Listening is participation, and many members attend for weeks before sharing.
Who This Group Is For
Adults 18 and older living with depression, bipolar disorder I or II, cyclothymia, dysthymia, or undiagnosed mood symptoms. Family members, partners, and supporters are also welcome at some meetings; check with the group ahead of time. Members range from people newly navigating a diagnosis to people who have been managing their condition for decades. Both bring something the room needs. You do not need a referral or a formal diagnosis to attend.
Why Peer Support Works
Mood disorders are isolating in a particular way — symptoms often make it hard to ask for help, and the people in our daily lives rarely know what to say. A weekly peer group offers what therapy and medication often cannot: a regular room of people who already understand, who can share what has actually worked for them, and who do not need any of it explained from scratch. Decades of research on peer support for depression and bipolar consistently show reduced hospitalization and improved self-management among regular attendees.
How to Join
Meetings are free and drop-in friendly. For current locations, the Zoom link, or to confirm meeting times, visit dbwacleveland.org or contact Bobby Klinko at (440) 539-9415. New members may join any week, and the social hour after each meeting is open to anyone who attended. DBWA also maintains a Meetup page where upcoming sessions are listed if you prefer to RSVP that way.