Support Groups
All groups are led by trained MS professionals and individuals may participate in person or by conference call. The Chapter organizes and conducts numerous support groups, including for people newly diagnosed with MS, on a wide variety of topics. Groups offer an opportunity to openly share personal experiences, coping strategies and feelings. Participants also have the opportunity to discuss and share issues of special concern.
Professional therapists trained by the Chapter on MS lead all support groups. Many groups are also co-led by specially trained peers who have MS. View our current support groups here. For more information, contact Andrea Arzt at 212-463-7787 or aarzt@msnyc.org.
Individual Counseling
Information and referrals to counselors who are familiar with MS.
Peer Support Volunteer Program
Professionally trained peers (people with MS) are available to provide support and information to members facing difficult issues. Through support over the telephone or in person, the peers use their firsthand knowledge to help solve problems and develop coping strategies. For more information, contact Andrea Arzt at 212-463-7787 or aarzt@msnyc.org.
Self Help Groups
The groups bring together people who share a common life experience for support, education and mutual aid. Available in all five boroughs. For more information, please follow this link.
Crisis Counseling
Learning to live with a chronic illness like MS challenges a person's sense of psychological well-being. The unpredictability of MS can be frightening for everyone affected by the disease. Professional counselors trained by the National MS Society are available to assist individuals with MS as well as their significant others to cope more effectively.
Counseling services are offered in individual and group settings, and range from in-person to telephone groups to peer counseling. Up to five sessions of crisis counseling are available for uninsured or underinsured members or their family member(s) who may be having difficulty coping with MS. For information regarding this program, please contact Andrea Arzt at 212-463-7787 or aarzt@msnyc.org.