The first volume to address both self-help and support groups, and to provide a clear distinction between the two, Self-Help and Support Groups dispels misunderstandings and inaccurate assumptions about how they function, whom they attract and how they help participants achieve goals. Linda Farris Kurtz informs practitioners and students in the human services about the concepts, theories and research relevant to self-help and support groups. She provides practical advice and direction for working with these groups while analyzing self-help/support organizations on three different levels in terms of: the groups themselves; the group members; and the practitioners' interactions with the groups. In addition, this comprehensive volume discusses the most prominent representative associations as examples of different types of groups, including Alcoholics Anonymous, Recovery, Inc, National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, and the Alzheimer's Association.