Self-Help Groups

A self-help group is an assembly of individuals with the same potentially stigmatizing challenge, who share experiential knowledge to benefit its members. These groups are utilized to empower and educate people with communication challenges and/or their families. They often focus on experiential facets of a problem or condition that might get less attention in traditional therapy for communication disorders and often serve as a supplement to traditional therapy. Self-help groups have become more popular with their promotion through the formation of national associations, professional recognition of their utility, and technology to provide more accessibility of information to like-minded people. To understand the breadth of self-help groups, this entry discusses how the concept of self-help groups has evolved, related debatable topics, and the variety of activities ...