The Entertainment Community Fund understands that a life in the arts has its own unique set of challenges. Our free groups and workshops offer a safe and confidential setting where performing arts and entertainment professionals can share and learn, as well as provide and receive support. Our groups are facilitated by social workers and provide valuable assistance and resources. Please read the descriptions for further details, including how to register.
All of our groups and workshops meet online only. Please view these tips for preparing if you are unfamiliar with participating in online support groups.
Please note: Our support groups are not psychotherapy groups and do not provide mental health treatment. If you are seeking mental health services, please visit entertainmentcommunity.org/MentalHealth to learn more and be connected to a social worker.
At this time, our groups are offered only in English.
Support Groups
NATIONAL GROUPS
These support groups and workshops are available to anyone living in the United States, Puerto Rico and US territories.
- Balancing Act: A Support Group for Parents in the Industry
This 6-week support group for parents in the performing arts and entertainment industry who have children between the ages of 3-12 provides a non-judgmental space to share information, receive emotional support and discuss strategies with other parents.
- Connection: Healing Our Relationship with Our Bodies
In this eight-week support group, participants will explore how industry culture, societal expectations and personal experiences can negatively impact our relationships with our bodies and how we view ourselves. Through a mix of exercises, participants will develop ways to shift from negative self-image towards healing and grace.
- Gendertainers: From Safety to Celebration
This 8-week group for professionals in performing arts and entertainment is a safe and affirming space for people whose gender identity exists outside of the male/female binary and/or are of the Trans experience.
- Good Grief Support Group
This 8-week support group is for performing arts and entertainment industry professionals age 50 and older who are grieving the recent death of a loved one. The group will provide a safe space to share feelings around loss and grief, as well as ideas for coping safely during challenging times.
- Guided Autobiography for Seniors
An 8-week group for performing arts and entertainment industry professionals, ages 60 and up, that supports members through the process of reviewing their life stories via weekly biography writing assignments. The group offers participants the opportunity to focus on the meaning and purpose of their lives, while promoting well-being and creating community amongst peers.
- Mind Body Spirit: A Group for Black Women in Entertainment
This 8-week support group for Black-identified women in the performing arts and entertainment industry aims to provide a supportive and uplifting space to gather and share.
- Mindfulness Meditation
A daily, drop-in, 30-minute meditation support group for all professionals in performing arts and entertainment.
- Self-Care for Women in Entertainment
An 8-week support group for participants who identify as a woman who are dealing with ongoing health issues or injury. A safe place for support, empowerment and community.
- Self-Care to Give Care: Caregiver Support Group
This weekly support group is for performing arts and entertainment industry professionals who do the challenging work of caring for an older adult loved one (whether a partner, spouse, parent, friend or other family).
- Senior Soloists
Senior Soloists is an online support group for those 65+ who would like to connect with other “Soloists”—individuals who, by choice or circumstance, are without the support of children or a spouse/partner in their lives.
- Sober Curious
What would your life look like without alcohol? Our Sober Curious group is a 10-week opportunity meant to help those who may not identify as alcoholics explore the benefits of taking a break from drinking.
- Support Group for Dancers
This 8-week support group is for professional dancers and choreographers who are facing personal or professional hardships. Through open discussion and the sharing of resources, this group will provide a safe space for dancers to support one another through current challenges.
- Thriving with the Entertainment Community Fund for Black Identified Professionals
This 8-week support group for Black-identified performing arts and entertainment industry professionals fosters restorative dialog and peer support while centering on experiences of racial injustice, discrimination and bias within the industry and community as a whole.
NEW YORK GROUPS
Due to state professional licensing regulations for social workers, these groups are available only to residents of New York.
- Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)
This 8-week psychoeducational group for performing arts and entertainment industry professionals uses meditation, mindful movement and inquiry as a way for people to develop skills enabling them to relate differently to stresses in their lives.
- Mindshift: Cognitive Behavioral Skills for Anxiety and Depression
This 8-week psychoeducational group explores your responses to anxiety and depression and helps you develop skills to cope with unhelpful feelings.
- Psychology of Money
This 7-week psychoeducational group explores how our thoughts, feelings and behaviors influence our relationship with money.
- Self-Care for Women in Entertainment
This is a 10-week group for participants who identify as women and who are facing a medical illness or injury. This group offers a space to connect with colleagues for community, support and the exploration of self-care.
CALIFORNIA GROUPS
Due to state professional licensing regulations for social workers, these groups are available only to residents of California.
- Are You on the Fence With Life in the Industry?
This 8-week group helps performing arts and entertainment industry professionals navigate issues around continuing your career in the industry.
- Encore
This monthly group explores the challenges of growing older in the performing arts and entertainment industry. This group is for the 65 and older community.
- Mindshift: Cognitive Behavioral Skills for Anxiety and Depression
This 8-week psychoeducational group explores your responses to anxiety and depression and helps you develop skills to cope with unhelpful feelings.
- Mindshift: Cognitive Behavioral Skills for Anxiety and Depression - Graduates Check-in
This is a quarterly check-in for graduates of the Mindshift: Cognitive Behavioral Skills for Anxiety and Depression group. This check-in allows participants to review and discuss the skills learned in the 8-week group.
- Psychology of Money
This 7-week psychoeducational group explores how our thoughts, feelings and behaviors influence our relationship with money.
Workshops
- Advance Care Planning for Professionals in Entertainment
In this quarterly presentation, you will learn why advance directives are important documents and how each one can help you. In addition, we will also cover how to complete your advance directives. Due to state professional licensing regulations for social workers, this workshop is available only to residents of New York.
- Anxiety Toolbox
This workshop aims to help you understand anxiety symptoms and learn tools to cope with everyday stress and anxiety.
- Beginner’s Guide to Therapy
Beginner’s Guide to Therapy is a one-hour workshop that addresses the interest in finding a therapist and how finding the right one can often feel daunting.
- Guide to Personal Wellness
Gain tools to help you incorporate personal care into your daily life, especially in times of hardship.
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)
This 8-week educational group uses meditation, mindful movement and inquiry as a way for people to develop skills enabling them to relate differently to stresses in their lives.