Other Support Groups

Here you'll find support groups for caregivers of loved ones with specific health conditions. Some organizations invite care recipients to attend these sessions as well. Please contact the organization directly for more information.

ALS Society of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia's Support group - support group is open and free to any ALS Society clients and their caregivers. Sessions take place once a month via Zoom, each session has a selected topic helping to understand ALS a little better. To check when the next support group is happening, email communityservices@als.ca.

Alzheimer Support Groups - for Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia.

Annapolis Valley Health Seniors Mental Health Dementia Support Group - Their dementia caregiver support group is held on the 3rd Monday of the month (except July/August) from 1:30-3:30.
Location: 5 Chipman Dr, Kentville Industrial Park. Contact Pam McKinley, 902.365.1701 Ext 2866

Autism Nova Scotia - Each chapter has different programming including support groups for caregivers of people with ASD. Please see the website for details of what your local chapter offers.

Autism Caregiver Connection & Support Canada - offer a free virtual peer support for autism caregivers across Canada. Book 1:1 peer support, join a support group, learn more: info@caregiverconnection.ca

Body Brave Caregiver Support Program - virtual free program for anyone supporting a loved one with an eating disorder, disordered eating, or body image concerns.

Colchester Stroke Club - runs a support group every Tuesday from 10 - 2. Douglas Street Rec Centre, 36 Douglas St, Truro. Contact Sheila Osmond - 902.893.2756.

Craig's Cause Pancreatic Cancer Society - this support group is open to anyone who has been diagnosed with any form of cancer, and their family/friends. Each meeting includes a guest speaker with expertise in dealing with pancreatic or other cancers.

Eating Disorder Support Group - This virtual support group is for the caregivers, friends, and families of those with an eating disorder. It occurs on the second Thursday of every month.

Grief and Bereavement Support Groups in Nova Scotia from IWK, updated on June 2023.

Grieving Hearts Bereavement Peer Support Group - bereavement peer support group in Amherst. It will run every Thursday evening from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm beginning on September 29 and concluding on December 1, 2022. Call 902.667.9126 or email sayork.16@gmail.com to register.

Healthy Minds Cooperative - host many wellness programs & support groups, including:

Affected Others - free, 8-week supportive, small group-based learning program for adult Nova Scotians (19+) who have a family member, spouse/partner, close friend &/or loved one who is living with addiction to alcohol and other drugs (and/or those who live with gambling addiction).
Climate Cafe - a brave, supportive, and confidential space for participants to share our responses to the climate crisis. Climate cafés focus on feelings; no feeling is too difficult or taboo to discuss.
The Mental Health Café - a casual, welcoming space to connect with others over coffee and snacks, talk about mental well-being, and know you’re not alone.
Men's Mental Health support group - a non-judgmental space to share and connect with other men. This is a place of encouragement and acceptance for men to speak openly about their challenges in a peer-based, supportive setting.
Mental Health Writer's group - join our resident writer, poet and facilitator, Nanci Lee, as she hosts our online creative writing group. Learn about poetry and prose by reading and discussing examples from fine writers from around the globe, tackle writing exercises, and share your work (not required).
LivingWorks safeTALK - a four-hour training that equips people to be more alert to someone thinking of suicide and better able to connect them to supports within their community with further help. You will learn how to reach out to someone thinking about suicide and help them keep safe by promptly connecting them to further help.
Circle of Support - a learning and resource-sharing community for 2SLGBTQIA+ Nova Scotians and their educated allies who care about suicide prevention within queer, trans, and 2Spirit communities and are interested in supporting community members through experiences of suicidal thoughts and actions.

Hope for Mental Health (formerly the Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia) - encourages and facilitates support for people, families, and communities in Nova Scotia affected by Schizophrenia, psychosis, bipolar and all related mental illnesses.

Hospice Halifax - hosts grief support groups for caregivers and counselling. Call 902.466.0324 for intake and registration.

Laing House Family Support Group - For parents, family members, and friends who provide significant emotional, psychological, financial, or other support to a loved one who has a mental illness. Meetings are held on the 1st Monday evening of each month from September to June.

Living with Cancer Support Groups - For those who have had a diagnosis of cancer, for their family and caregivers.

Sydney: the 3rd Wednesday of the month from 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm. Contact Stasia Digou for more information at 902.567.8551 or stasiadigou@eastlink.ca. To find other Living with Cancer support groups, visit the Canadian Cancer Society's website.

Multiple Sclerosis Society Self-Help Group - connecting families living with MS in Atlantic Canada via teleconference.

Nova Scotia Pain Self-Management holds support groups in Annapolis Valley. Topics are related to health and wellness and pain self-management. Contact the People in Pain Network (PIPN) via email: info@pipain.com for more information or to register.

For caregivers of loved ones living with mental illness - This group meets the first Wednesday of the month at 6:30 pm. Location: Evangeline Club, 130 Commercial St. Berwick, NS B0P 1E0. Contact: Carl Cann 902.681.2448 or 2getcarl@gmail.com

Ostomy Canada Society - has 5 chapters throughout Nova Scotia that provide support and information for persons who have had or may have ostomy surgery, their families, partners, caregivers, and friends.

Parents Supporting Parents Society, Truro - offers a monthly support group for parents with children who have special needs, in addition to many other services.

Parkinson Support Groups - Offers support groups in Halifax, Amherst, Cape Breton, and Annapolis Valley. They offer a caregiver support group in HRM on the 3rd Wednesday of every month. Contact Lisa Frankland at 902.422.3656 or lisa.frankland@parkinson.ca for more information on the HRM Caregiver Support Group.

Grassroots Support Group - for people living with Parkinson's and their caregivers. 2nd Wednesday of every month, 1-3 p.m., Le Brun Recreation Centre, 36 Holland Avenue, Bedford. Contact Sharron for more information: 902.209.4711

Pictou County Prostate Support Association - runs a support group in New Glasgow on the 3rd Thursday of every month at 7 pm. The group runs from September to May.

Prostate Cancer Support Halifax - Offers a support group on the 3rd Thursday of each month from 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm at Grace Chapel (255 Ross Street, Halifax). Partners are welcome to attend. Contact Richard MacFarlane for more information at 902.457.0644 or peterclaire@eastlink.ca.

Tonari Gumi Family Caregiver Support Group (Japanese/English) - a family caregiver support group by zoom, provides caregivers with a safe place to share their experiences and emotions and to discuss practical tips and information on caregiving. All support groups are facilitated by clinical social workers.

Dementia Japanese Support: 1st and 3rd Fridays from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m.

Japanese Support: 1st and 3rd Wednesdays from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.

English Speaking Japanese Canadian: 2nd and 4th Thursdays from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.

To register or get more info, contact Nao at 778.888.6914 or email nikeda@tonarigumi.ca.