ThroughBlue is a Wellington based support group for women with experience of depression. It has been running for the last 12 years and is a registered charity. The group runs every Friday from 12.30-2.30 and is facilitated by two counsellors.Â
What does the organisation do?
ThroughBlue offer support, companionship and ongoing education, through counsellors, on how to actively manage depression. New women are warmly invited to come along  – there is wide spectrum of experience of depression in the group – from very mild to more severe. Some people may have experienced depression in the past and come along to help manage relapses. It is a very diverse group and ranges in number from week to week – from 3 to 14 people. It is a friendly and non-threatening environment and most newcomers find it to be very welcoming and inclusive. ThroughBlue is not affiliated with any religious organisation or church. Attendees are welcome to participate as much as they wish in terms of talking about their experience, or to sit and observe without having to say anything, depending on what suits them.  Pre-school childcare can be arranged (please let them know in advance if required).
There is a structure to the meetings, with a new topic each week.
– 12.30pm  Meditative grounding exercise
– 12.40pm  Opening round – how was your week, a highlight, did you achieve your goal, or anything else you’d like to say
– 1.30pm    Tea break (about 10 minutes)
– 1.40pm   Educational topic
– 2.20pm   Closing round – what you found useful, something you are looking forward to this week, possibility to set a goal for the week to come.
– 2.30pm   Finish
How is it funded?
The fees for their counsellors, supervisors and other running costs are generously provided by a range of funders including: the Lottery Community Grants Board, the Thomas George Macarthy Trust, Pub Charity and the Christine Taylor Foundation for Mental Health.
How can I get their help?
Please email join.throughblue@gmail.com with your contact details or fill out the registration form and your email will be answered by a volunteer within a week to arrange your first meeting. They meet every Friday 12:30 – 2:30pm.
How much does it cost?
They ask for a donation of $10 waged and $5 unwaged per meeting to cover food and go towards some of the venue hire costs.
Link to the ThroughBlue website
