A community mental health group designed by clients

"Support," a group learning project, was conceived and designed by patients who completed a twenty-four hour occupational therapy stress management program offered by an occupational therapy assistant at a community mental health day treatment center in Upstate New York. The patients had become a very "close knit" group because of the nature and intensity of the therapeutic activities. As they moved to ex-patient status and to a self-directed group they identified familial and community stressors they expected would arise and wanted to strengthen their network. They sought resources to provide knowledge and practice for themselves and their families in the management of those stressors. This paper describes the rationale and the process of the "Support" group and the ways in which patients contributed to its formation, ongoing activities and closure.