Domestic abuse & coercive control support groups
For people who are living with or have left an abusive relationship, including coercive control, which isn't always physical. A safe space to be believed and heard. If you are in danger now, call 911 (US) or 999 (UK).
- ✓ Small, live video groups
- ✓ Hosted by peers with lived experience, or guided by Heal Kinder
- ✓ Join online, from wherever you feel comfortable
- ✓ Small groups where people get to know each other
Upcoming domestic abuse & coercive control groups
Times are shown in your time zone (Eastern Standard Time).
There isn't a domestic abuse & coercive control group on the schedule right now.
New groups are added all the time. See every group.
Common signs of domestic abuse and coercive control
For information only, not for diagnosing. These are common experiences, not a diagnosis of anyone. If any of this sounds familiar, you're not to blame, and confidential help is available from the helplines below, any time.
Abuse isn't always physical. What people often describe:
- Being afraid of your partner's or a family member's reactions
- Being checked up on, followed, or having your phone or messages watched
- Your money controlled, or being stopped from working
- Being cut off from friends and family
- Being put down, threatened or humiliated, in private or in front of others
- Being told what to wear, where to go or who to see
- Being pressured or forced into sexual things you don't want
- Being hurt, pushed or having things broken around you
- Being made to feel it's all your fault
If you don't feel safe, free, confidential help is there any time: in the US, the National Domestic Violence Hotline on 1-800-799-7233; in the UK, the National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247. If you're in danger, call 911 (US) or 999 (UK).
Frequently asked questions
Is the online domestic abuse & coercive control support group free?
Yes. Every group on Heal Kinder is free. Sign up, pick a time that suits you and save a spot. Groups are small live video calls, so there's room for everyone to be heard.
What happens in a domestic abuse & coercive control support group?
The host, or in a guided peer group the Heal Kinder guide, welcomes everyone and goes over a few ground rules: what's shared stays in the group, and passing is always okay. Then people take turns talking about how things have been, and others listen and share what has helped them. You don't have to speak, and many people just listen at their first group.
Can a domestic abuse & coercive control support group replace therapy?
No. It's peer support from people with lived experience, not therapy, medical care or a crisis service. Many members join alongside therapy or treatment and find it helps to talk with people who understand. If you are in danger, call 911 (US) or 999 (UK). In the US you can call or text 988 any time; in the UK, call Samaritans on 116 123.
Between groups, small daily habits help too. How journaling and a daily mood check-in can help with domestic abuse & coercive control
Heal Kinder is peer support: people who've been there, listening and sharing. Many members find it a real help alongside any care they already have, though it isn't therapy or a crisis service. If you are in danger, call 911 (US) or 999 (UK). In the US you can call or text 988 any time; in the UK, call Samaritans on 116 123.
Other topics
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