Sign Up | Mental Health Peer Support Group in Beijing

Updated on Dec 2025

Moving to a new country, going through a breakup, losing a job, or living with mental conditions can be very challenging. Yet, there’s no reason to suffer alone when one can choose to join hands with others and let the power of connection and group support encourage and heal us.

In the absence of such social support in Beijing, CandleX established the peer support group in October, 2015, with the goal to provide psychosocial support to the Beijing community. It provides a safe and supportive environment for people to share personal thoughts and experiences in small, confidential gatherings.

To understand this project, or if you’d like to read our 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd year support group review, please visit our support group page.

CandleX other available resources:

• If you are in a crisis, please seek a professional immediately at the same time. Your will find useful information on our crisis page.

• If you’re more interested in how to navigate the mental health world and get more information on how to get support or get treatment for you or someone you know, please check out our pretreatment guidance program.

• If you are looking for professional support, you can check out Xiaojie Qin, our director and psychotherapist’s page.

Peer Support Group Key Information

• Peer support group participants: our support group meetings are for people living with mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety or suicide ideation. The support group is especially effective for newcomers who find themselves in a situation of lacking social support, experiencing shame and guilt of having depression or people who present an elevated risk of mental illness.

• Date: Every second and fourth Tuesday of the month (in-person)

• Time: 19:30-21:00

• Location: Near Dongzhimen Beijing (Details will be communicated via WeChat after 4 pm, the day before each meeting)

• Language: English

• Max Number: 7 people each session

• Fee: 88rmb, 30rmb for students, financial aid is available for those going through financial difficulties 

• For registration and enquiries, please reach and send a message to the support group coordinator (Email: parapraxis_01@yahoo.co.uk  WeChat: OU102024) 

Peer Group Principles:

• We gather to share our stories and feelings, help and give each other emotional support when dealing with difficult emotions and to recognize the importance of tending to and promoting our own self-care. We use guided meditation and breathing exercises to create a safe, peaceful and comfortable environment for sharing.

• We shall not be held responsible for group member’s safety. We all are peers. There are no professionals in this group. CandleX will not be responsible for people engaging in self-harm or suicidal ideations. 

• By signing up to the peer support group, I understand and agree to release CandleX and its staff or volunteers from any or all liability connected to my own participation, including, but not limited to any forms of self-harm or suicide.

• Confidentiality: All information shared with the group is strictly confidential. Some information only related to the group dynamics and facilitation may be used for an internal debrief between facilitators and the Support Group manager to improve the quality of sessions and to empower others to set up support groups during facilitator’s training.

• No graphic description of suicide, self-harm and death as it may trigger some of the attendees.

• Please note that this is a Peer Support Group, there will be one facilitator throughout the session to monitor the progress of each session and facilitate group interactions; no professional therapists will be attending.

• We have a WeChat group (that you may join after attending at least one meeting) where you would be informed of Beijing community mental health events, as well as other information that might be helpful for your recovery.

• Community Contribution: We conduct regular internal debriefing between facilitators and the Support Group manager to ensure continuous quality checking, learning and improvement. Additionally, we offer facilitator training programs to empower others to establish their own groups. During these training and debrief sessions, we handle information related to group dynamics and facilitation with sensitivity and care.

• If you have any concerns or feedback of the support group, we welcome you to let us know by emailing it to xiaojie.qin@candlex.cn. The concern would be handled sensitively directly by CandleX’s director.

All information could be found on our website under ‘Get Help’.