SUPPORT GROUPS

You Don't Have to Carry This Alone

Parenting an adult child with serious mental illness, substance use disorder, or chronic unemployment is stressful, confusing, and isolating — and it's rarely something you can talk about with the people around you. These groups exist so you don't have to do it without support.

Mothers' Groups

"I found other mothers going through the same struggles — the guilt, the tug, the pull, the emotional drain. It sounded exactly like my son. It was such a relief. So it's not just him. I wasn't alone."
— Tanya, 47

Imagine sitting with a group of other mothers who understand exactly what you're carrying — the guilt, the exhaustion, the grief for a future you thought you'd have, and the love that makes all of it so much harder to walk away from.

For the past three years, Dr. Judith Smith has facilitated support groups for mothers navigating this exact experience, drawing on the same research that became her book, Difficult.

Hear More From the Group ↓

Fathers' Groups

"My situation was an echo chamber — I talked about it with my wife, but no one else. The group got me out of that. Hearing five other voices widened how I see myself and my son."
— A Father in the Group

Imagine talking to a group of other fathers who are also confused, enraged, depressed, and looking for answers about how to help their "difficult adult children."

Men often find it harder to talk openly about this pain — but being the parent of a vulnerable adult child is just as challenging for fathers, and it frequently puts real strain on a marriage. The group is co-facilitated by Dr. Judith Smith and Jeffrey Hoffeld, LP, a psychotherapist at the Spectrum Neuroscience and Treatment Institute.

Hear More From the Group ↓

How It Works

Every group begins with a required one-on-one consultation with Dr. Smith. In this 45-minute meeting, you'll discuss your specific situation — your relationship with your son or daughter, what you're currently facing — and whether a group is the right fit for you right now.

45 min
1-on-1 with Dr. Smith
Upcoming Groups
Mothers' Group
January 12 Daytime Session · 3:30 PM ET
February 1 Evening Session · 7 PM ET
Fathers' Group (Co-facilitated by Jeffrey Hoffeld, LP)
January 14 New Year Session · 7 PM ET
Meets weekly, for 10 weeks
Fully virtual (Zoom)
Maximum of 10 members per group

What the Group Offers

  • To share and learn from others who are also struggling with the challenges of mothering a difficult adult child
  • To verbalize and process your mixed feelings about your relationship with your adult child
  • To set goals for the kind of change you want — for yourself, and in that relationship
  • To learn how to balance your own needs with your adult child's
  • To express and process the chronic sorrow that so many parents carry over the disappointments this journey brings

Not Ready for Group Yet?

Get updates on new writing, support groups, and events — no pressure to join anything right now.

Real Experiences

Hear From Mothers Who've Been in the Group

Diane, 63
"The best thing I can do for him is find some joy in my remaining years, and in whatever connection I can find with him and with others."
Tanya, 47
"It was just a good, safe space where you didn't have to explain—they just got it."

Hear From Fathers Who've Been in the Group

Camaraderie & Validation
A Father in the Group
"It was pretty obvious right from the get-go that it was a really nice group of people... I was totally comfortable and happy to share the experiences I had had as best as I could. It was a happy surprise that there are five guys that really want to make an effort to really help another human being's life."
Letting Go of Expecting Change
A Father in the Group
"There is one transformation that I underwent from listening to Larry. He was also spending a lot of money every month to support his son and he wasn't expecting that condition to change. Hearing his attitude of acceptance influenced me very concretely... I let it go. I have ceased worrying. It's freed up a lot of time."

Hear It From Recent Members

In this short video, Dr. Smith shares what recent members told her about their own experiences — what surprised them, and what changed them after 10 weeks.

Costs & Payment

Both the Mothers' and Fathers' Groups are $800 for the full 10-week program — payable in full today, or as 50% ($400) due today with the remaining 50% automatically charged in Week 5. A $20 secure payment processing fee applies at checkout.

Individual Pre-Group Consultation
$80 (45 min)
Mothers' Group · 10 Weeks
$800 total
Fathers' Group · 10 Weeks
$800 total

No one is turned away for inability to pay. If the fee is a barrier, email Dr. Smith directly. Participation matters more than the full amount.