The Power of Peer support: How sharing circles can transform mental healthcare

India is seeing a rise in mental health challenges—nearly one in seven people are affected by mental health issues, a situation that’s only worsened since the pandemic. Yet, the path to getting help is riddled with obstacles—stigma, neglect, and a severe shortage of mental health professionals. No wonder the gap between awareness and action is massive—more than 80% of those who need help simply don’t get the mental health support they need.

This is where peer support can step in as an important solution. Peer support involves getting help from individuals who have similar lived experiences, whether it is diagnosed mental health issues or other forms of emotional distress. Think of it like getting help from someone who knows your struggles first-hand and can offer empathy and guidance rooted in real experiences.

Research has shown that peer support can be extremely effective and can even provide similar benefits as more traditional forms of mental health care like therapy.

What are sharing circles?

Peer support can take various forms, and sharing circles is one of those approaches. Sharing Circles are distinct from support groups, which tend to be more structured, where people with a specific issue meet periodically with set goals to keep themselves accountable and there’s usually professional facilitation.

Sharing circles, on the other hand, are more informal. They can focus on specific issues like depression, anxiety, or even broader themes like caregiving. This flexibility makes them a more accessible option for those who’re seeking help for the first time. Plus, the cadence of these circles is less rigid—usually once or twice a month—which makes it an easier option for people with busy schedules.

How do sharing circles help with mental health?

They lower barriers to seeking help: In India, especially, therapy is often perceived as intimidating and clinical, and is still heavily stigmatised. Sharing circles offer a more approachable and less formal entry point for those beginning their mental health journey.

They help in validation and self-realisation: Validation is a core component of mental health care. Knowing you are not alone, and that others have gone through similar experiences can help significantly when you’re struggling. Hearing others’ experiences and then sharing yours in a safe space also helps in articulation—it helps us understand and acknowledge aspects of our own wellbeing that we might not have recognised earlier.

They build collective resilience: Sharing circles help increase mental health literacy while building collective resilience—lessons from others’ experiences helps us learn how to handle personal challenges better, and even support others who are struggling. This is especially vital in areas where professional mental health services are few and far between.

They humanize mental health: All too often when we think of mental health, we think of clinical conditions, diagnoses, and ‘labels’. But sharing circles can offer an important way to humanise mental health by focusing more on the people, rather than the diagnosis, and their lived experiences, which might be different from textbook approaches. It also helps us understand that mental health is not just for ‘diseases’, it’s a spectrum of wellbeing—something that we have to work to nourish.

Dos and Don’ts of Sharing Circles

·      Circles should be hosted by trained hosts. While not all types of circles need a professional psychologist, all sharing circles need a host who is trained for facilitating group settings specifically for mental health.

·      Maintaining confidentiality and/or anonymity within the circle and after the meeting.

·      Using trigger warnings for self-harm or abuse before discussing them in the circle

·      Not using offensive or stigmatised language while referring to mental health conditions 

·      Not interrupting or asking follow-up questions about a share—everyone should share as much or as little as they’re comfortable with.

How participants have felt after attending circles

In our experience, participants describe their experience of attending Circles as overwhelmingly positive. These meetings sometimes become the first real step for people towards seeking support for mental health, where they leave not just feeling validated but also with new insights into their conditions. Most importantly, it helps participants build empathy towards the people and their personal experiences, and feel seen on their own journeys as they handle emotional distress.

Circles offer a unique and powerful way to address the current mental health crisis in India. By embracing the lived experiences of individuals, sharing circles help cultivate a more supportive and understanding community, which is more prepared to tackle mental health challenges together.

(Pooja Khanna is the Founder of Mindhouse, a mental health startup)