Welcome To The Family Waiting Room
Supporting the Supporters
A Support Group for Family Members of Loved Ones with Chronic Illness
When someone you love has a chronic illness, your whole world changes too. You've become a caregiver, advocate, and emotional support system—often without any roadmap for how to navigate this new reality while maintaining your own wellbeing.
How Do You Know This Support Group Is Right For You?
✓ You feel like you're walking on eggshells, never knowing if today will be a "good day" or a day when symptoms flare and plans get cancelled
✓ You're exhausted from being the "strong one" who holds everything together while secretly wondering who's taking care of you
✓ You feel guilty when you're frustrated about cancelled plans, changed routines, or the impact on your own life—because you know it's not their fault
✓ If you’re being honest, you sometimes wonder if symptoms are "real" or exaggerated, then feel terrible for doubting someone you love—especially when doctors can't find clear answers
✓ You struggle to explain to other people why your spouse/child/parent can't do certain things, only to be met with "but they look fine" or unsolicited advice
✓ You feel like you can never do the right thing—offering help feels pushy, not offering feels uncaring, and your loved one's needs seem to change unpredictably
✓ You're overwhelmed by medical appointments, insurance battles, and trying to coordinate care while managing your own responsibilities
✓ You find yourself saying "I'm fine" when you're not because it's easier than trying to explain
✓ You worry about your loved one's future, your financial security, and how long you can sustain this level of caregiving
✓ You miss the person your loved one used to be and feel guilty for grieving someone who's still alive
✓ You want practical tools - not just validation or vague advice to "reduce stress" without showing you how
If you nodded along to several of these points, you've found the right program. Welcome to the Family Waiting Room provides the specific frameworks, scripts, and community support to address these exact challenges.
Welcome to Your Support System
Learn to Care for Your Loved One AND Yourself
This isn't another support group where you're told to "practice self-care" without being shown how. This is where family members of people with chronic illness learn practical strategies for managing the unique challenges you face—from navigating medical systems to maintaining your own identity and relationships.
No more googling "how to help someone with chronic pain" at 2 AM. No more feeling guilty for having needs. No more going it alone.
Join our monthly support group sessions led by licensed therapists* who specialize in chronic illness and understand the ripple effects on families. Because supporting someone with chronic illness shouldn't cost you your own wellbeing.
*led by licensed therapists, but this group is not therapy and is not intended to replace therapy - it’s an appropriate addition to your own individual therapy
join us today in the waiting room
join us today in the waiting room
✓ Access to monthly educational workshops
✓ Participation in 2 monthly support group sessions
✓ Private community forum access
✓ Resource library
✓ Monthly community newsletter
This memberships supports individuals who love someone who has chronic pain and/or an illness in a non-medical*, community-focused environment.
What Family Members Actually Need
Beyond "Just Be Patient"
Families dealing with chronic illness typically struggle with:
Emotional Complexity: Managing worry, grief, frustration, and guilt simultaneously while trying to stay positive and supportive
Practical Overwhelm: Coordinating medical care, managing insurance, adapting homes and routines, and maintaining household responsibilities
Social Isolation: Losing connections with friends who don't understand, declining invitations, and feeling like your social life revolves entirely around illness management
Communication Challenges: Not knowing what to say, how to offer help without being pushy, or how to express your own needs without seeming selfish
Financial Stress: Managing increased medical costs, potential loss of income, and planning for an uncertain future
Identity Loss: Feeling like you've become just "the caregiver" and losing touch with who you were before diagnosis
Who This Group Serves
For Partners, Parents, Adult Children, and Close Family Members
Whether your loved one was recently diagnosed or you've been navigating chronic illness for years, this group welcomes family members at any stage of the journey. We support families dealing with various conditions including autoimmune disorders, chronic pain conditions, neurological disorders, and other ongoing health challenges.
Ages 18+ Welcome Most participants are adults supporting partners or adult children, but young adults supporting parents or siblings are equally welcome.
Common Topics We Address
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Relationship Dynamics
Maintaining intimacy when illness affects energy and mood
Talking to children about a parent's chronic illness
Managing different coping styles within the family
When other family members don't understand or help
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Advocacy & Medical Navigation
How to support your loved one during appointments without taking over
When to push for second opinions and when to step back
Understanding insurance and disability processes
Building relationships with medical teams
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Emotional Wellbeing
Processing anticipatory grief and loss
Managing anxiety about the future
Dealing with anger and resentment
Finding meaning and joy despite illness
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Practical Life Management
Adapting homes for accessibility and comfort
Managing careers alongside caregiving responsibilities
Planning for emergencies and flare-ups
Building a support network beyond family
join us today in the waiting room
join us today in the waiting room
✓ Access to monthly educational workshops
✓ Participation in 2 monthly support group sessions
✓ Private community forum access
✓ Resource library
✓ Monthly community newsletter
This memberships supports individuals who love someone who has chronic pain and/or an illness in a non-medical*, community-focused environment.
Who This Group Serves
For Partners, Parents, Adult Children, and Close Family Members
Whether your loved one was recently diagnosed or you've been navigating chronic illness for years, this group welcomes family members at any stage of the journey. We support families dealing with various conditions including autoimmune disorders, chronic pain conditions, neurological disorders, and other ongoing health challenges.
Ages 18+ Welcome Most participants are adults supporting partners or adult children, but young adults supporting parents or siblings are equally welcome.
Bi-Weekly Support Groups
Every other Tuesday from 2-3pm, we meet via Zoom
Private Community
Join the Family Waiting Room community on a platform called Skool - it’s similar to being in a a Facebook group, but is a completely separate website and not connected to Facebook at all.
✺ Frequently asked questions ✺
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A: This group is about your experience and wellbeing, not about "fixing" or changing your loved one. Many participants find that as they develop better coping strategies and communication skills, their relationships actually improve.
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A: This is one of the most common feelings among family members, and it's something we address extensively in group. You can't pour from an empty cup, and your wellbeing directly impacts your ability to provide sustainable support.
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A: The group is a learning environment where questions and honest feelings are welcomed. Everyone is learning, and part of our process involves developing language and understanding that honors both your experience and your loved one's reality.
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A: Absolutely. While specific medical details vary, the emotional and practical challenges of loving someone with chronic illness are remarkably similar across conditions. Many of our most valuable discussions focus on these shared experiences rather than specific diagnoses.
*Licensed professionals lead our workshops, bringing ethical standards and expertise to our community. However, Welcome to the Waiting Room is not considered therapy, nor is it a substitute for medical care or therapy. Our professionals offer educational content and support within a community setting, not clinical treatment or medical advice.
Ready to Connect with Others Who Understand?
Join us for your first session free to see if this group feels like the right fit for your family.
join us today in the waiting room
join us today in the waiting room
✓ Access to monthly educational workshops
✓ Participation in 2 monthly support group sessions
✓ Private community forum access
✓ Resource library
✓ Monthly community newsletter
This memberships supports individuals who love someone who has chronic pain and/or an illness in a non-medical*, community-focused environment.