Free Mental Health Peer Support Groups Boston, MA | NAMI Mass
NAMI Massachusetts runs the statewide network of free, peer-led NAMI Connection Recovery Support Groups and NAMI Family Support Groups, with sessions accessible to anyone in the Boston metro area. NAMI Mass also operates the Compass Helpline — a peer-staffed information and referral line — and maintains the master directory of every local NAMI affiliate’s group schedule across the Commonwealth. All groups are free, peer-led, and run year-round.
What to Expect
NAMI Connection Recovery Support Groups are 90-minute peer-led groups for adults living with a mental health condition. Most Massachusetts Connection groups currently meet remotely on Zoom or by phone, with several in-person options as well. NAMI Family Support Groups serve adults caring for a loved one with a mental health condition and follow the same peer-led format. The Compass Helpline operates Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., at 617-704-6264, and connects callers to the right groups, programs, and resources. Compass staff are themselves trained peers and family members. There is no diagnosis required, no fee, and no expectation that you share before you are ready.
Who This Group Is For
The Connection group is for adults 18 and older living with any mental health condition — depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD, OCD, or undiagnosed symptoms. The Family Support group is for adult family members, partners, chosen family, and close friends supporting someone with a mental health condition. NAMI Mass also coordinates specialized groups across the state for veterans, LGBTQ+ members, BIPOC communities, and people newly diagnosed.
Why Peer Support Works
NAMI’s peer support model has been refined over four decades and consistently shows improved self-management, lower hospitalization rates, and reduced family burnout among regular attendees. For Massachusetts specifically, NAMI’s network reaches communities where local clinical resources are scarce or hard to navigate, and the statewide Compass Helpline gives callers a single place to start regardless of where they live in the state. NAMI Mass also runs the only statewide peer-led directory of mental health support groups in Massachusetts, kept current by staff and volunteers across the affiliate network.
How to Join
For Connection and Family Support group schedules across Massachusetts, including remote-access options, visit namimass.org/peer-support or namimass.org/nami-family-support-groups. To talk to a peer for help finding the right group or program, call the Compass Helpline at 617-704-6264 (Mon–Fri 10 a.m.–6 p.m.) or email compass@namimass.org. The Compass team is intentionally trained to take time on each call so that a first conversation can include both information and a real moment of peer-to-peer support.