Have You Tried…?
Online Support Groups for People with Chronic Health Conditions
Fall/Winter ‘26/’27 groups will be starting the first week of November. Enrollment for groups will open 10/5.
Fill out the interest form here.
Currently, 2 group formats are available and people are welcome to register for one or both groups:
Have You Tried… Making Art? is an online arts-based support group that meets twice a month for 90 minutes. There is a Monday daytime group and a Wednesday evening group.
Have You Tried… Talking About It? is an online drop-in support group that meets twice a month for 55 minutes on Mondays.
WHO: Groups are open to anyone 18+ living with a chronic health condition/s. It’s important to me to not play any gatekeeping roles, especially as we often deal with internalized ableism that makes us question if we're "________ enough" for certain spaces (e.g., sick, ill, disabled, etc.). Please know that you don’t need to disclose any medical information to me or the group to participate. Whether you’re dealing with a new diagnosis or have been living with chronic illness for years, you’re welcome here!
Groups don’t exceed 10 people and are inclusive and affirming spaces founded on a disability justice approach to chronic illness.
No formal art training/experience is necessary for the Have You Tried… Make Art? Group, and you can use whatever art materials you have on hand.
Facilitator: Dr. Lauren Leone, a board-certified art therapist and licensed mental health counselor with lived experience of chronic illness
WHAT: These groups are intended to give people with chronic health conditions the chance to:
find connection, validation, and belonging without having to explain, minimize, or justify their experiences;
share experiences, resources, and strategies for navigating life with chronic illness;
and offer and receive emotional support about a range of issues including ableism/internalized ableism, chronic illness burnout and grief, navigating medical systems, and how chronic illness can inform and impact relationships, identity, work;
Have You Tried… Making Art? additionally includes art making in each group to support:
reflection, relaxation, self-expression, and increased understanding of their lived experience
WHERE/WHEN: Enrollment is currently open for all online (Zoom) groups.
Daytime Have You Tried… Making Art?: Mondays 11/2, 11/16, 11/30, 12/14, 1/4, 1/25, 2/8, 2/22, 12-1:30pm ET
Evening Have You Tried… Making Art?: Wednesdays 11/4, 11/18, 12/2, 12/16, 1/6, 1/20, 2/3, 2/17, 6:30-8pm ET
Daytime Have You Tried… Talking? Drop-In: Mondays 11/9, 11/23, 12/7, 12/21, 1/11, 2/1, 2/15, 12-12:55pm
COST/COMMITMENT:
Have You Tried… Making Art Group, 90 mins, $50/group meeting, 2 meetings/month
Have You Tried… Talking About It, 55 mins, $40/group meeting, drop-in
A limited number of sliding scale/supported access rate spots are available, reserved for people with limited financial resources who struggle to meet basic needs. Reach out to me if you'd like to discuss this: lauren@laurenleone.com
And in a rebalancing effort there’s a Pay It Forward Access fee (anything above the standard fee) for those with more than enough financial resources to meet their basic needs who can support fellow community members and provide a cushion for those with less access to pay less. Reach out to me if you'd like to discuss this: lauren@laurenleone.com
*Although the aim of these groups is therapeutic, they are NOT mental health treatment or a replacement for it.