Family Support Groups
by Carla D’Imperio, PMSF Director of Family Support
We are pleased to share topics, dates, and registration information for our 2026 Family Support Groups.
We are thrilled to continue our Caregiver Support Groups as part of our 2026 Family Support Program. We are offering five support groups topics, with additional topics possible later in the year. The Support Groups will be facilitated by Kiley Richards, LISW and Dr. Al Freedman, Ph.D.
Our 2026 Family Support Group topics:
- *NEW in 2026!* Support Group for Adult Siblings of Individuals with Phelan-McDermid Syndrome, coming in February!
- Support Group for the Phelan-McDermid Syndrome Caregiver (meets monthly)
- “Coping With Neuropsychiatric Episodes” Support Group (meets monthly)
- “Coping With the Grief From the Loss of a Child” Support Group (meets every other month)
- Support Group for the Newly Diagnosed Phelan-McDermid Syndrome Caregiver (meets quarterly)
- Support Group for the Phelan-McDermid Syndrome Father (meets quarterly)
Please scroll down to register!
**Rescheduled** Support Group for the Adult Phelan-McDermid Syndrome Sibling
We are excited to invite our adult siblings of individuals with Phelan-McDermid syndrome to a new support group just for them! For the first time ever, PMSF will be offering this much-needed space to adults who have a brother or sister with a Phelan-McDermid syndrome diagnosis. This group is a place where you can come together to talk about the challenges of being a Phelan-McDermid syndrome sibling with others who “get it.” This group is open to all adult siblings, not just caregivers, including our bereaved siblings.
The first meeting of this new group will be Wednesday, March 4 at 2:30pm ET.
“Coping With the Grief From the Loss of a Child” Support Group
The “Coping With the Grief From the Loss of a Child” Support Group will be a closed group to those caregivers in our community who have lost a child or adult with Phelan-McDermid syndrome. The goal of this group is to offer a safe and supportive space for those grieving to understand, process, and cope with the immense impacts grief can have on your mental health, relationships, and overall well-being. Our ultimate goal is to meet you where you’re at and provide you with the mental health support and community connection to help you build the tools needed for grieving.
The next meeting will be Thursday, March 12 at 2pm ET.
“Coping With Neuropsychiatric Episodes” Support Group
The “Coping With Neuropsychiatric Episodes” Support Group is a closed group for caregivers whose child is going through or has gone through a period of neuropsychiatric illness. Caregivers will have the opportunity to process the trauma and stress of caring for a person who is dealing with intense neuropsychiatric episodes. You can read about what those episodes can look like here if you scroll down to “Information For PMS Parents”.
Our facilitator for this group is not a Phelan-McDermid syndrome expert and it will not be a group for medical information or seeking medical/treatment advice. This group would not be a place to determine whether or not your child is dealing with neuropsychiatric illness. If you’re seeking further information about neuropsychiatric illness or require assistance in managing these conditions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Carla D’Imperio via email.
The next meeting will be Thursday, March 19 at 5pm ET.
Support Group for the Phelan-McDermid Syndrome Caregiver (general group)
The Support Group for the Phelan-McDermid Syndrome Caregiver is an open group for all parents, guardians, and primary caregivers of Phelan-McDermid syndrome individuals. Participants will be able to process, understand, and cope with the mental health symptoms that can accompany the ongoing and complex trauma and loss that comes with a Phelan-McDermid syndrome diagnosis.
- Caregivers of individuals with Phelan-McDermid syndrome from birth to age 18 years — Sunday, March 22 at 3pm ET
- Caregivers of individuals with Phelan-McDermid syndrome ages 18 years and up –Thursday, March 26 at 8pm ET
Please click a link below to register:
Support Group for the Newly Diagnosed Phelan-McDermid Syndrome Caregiver
The months following a Phelan-McDermid syndrome diagnosis can be very difficult for parents and caregivers. The “Support Group For the Newly Diagnosed Phelan-McDermid Syndrome Caregiver” is is a closed support group for parents, guardians, and primary caregivers of Phelan-McDermid syndrome individuals who were diagnosed within the last twelve months. This group is intended to support our new families with the unique challenges associated with coping with a new Phelan-McDermid syndrome diagnosis.
Please check back for updates on the next meeting of this group.
Dads Group: Support Group for the Phelan-McDermid Syndrome Father
The Dad’s Group is a closed support group for fathers, male guardians, and male caregivers of individuals with Phelan-McDermid syndrome. This group will ensure that Phelan-McDermid syndrome fathers have a safe space to express their challenges, fears, and worries and begin to process their feelings of grief and trauma associated with their child’s diagnosis.
Please check back for updates on the next meeting of this group.
We are grateful for this opportunity to provide mental health support through these Caregiver Support Groups. These support groups are not individual or group therapy and are not intended to replace direct clinical services. Please note that the groups are 90-minutes long and are in English.