When do the groups meet?
ThroughBlue meets online every Monday 6:30 - 8:30pm and in-person every Friday 12:30
-2:30pm, in the central city, Wellington, New Zealand.
The ThroughBlue Friday group meets in a room upstairs with an accessible lift and accessible
car parking available.
How do I join?
Click here to go to our contact page and apply by filling out the online form.
This form is sent to the relevant facilitator (Monday/Friday) who will get in contact to introduce
themselves and get to know you a little. This helps us ensure that the group is the right fit for
your hopes and that you’ll feel supported and safe in the environment we create.
If you have any questions about the process, We’d be happy to discuss it with you!
Is there a cost to attend the group?
There is a small charge of $10 (waged) or $5 (unwaged) per meeting. Donations from attendees
help cover the cost of running our service and keep it going.
Tax receipts for donations can be provided annually on request as long as you remember to fill
in your chit each week. Statement of Payment for WINZ can also be provided on request.
Who can attend?
Any woman in Wellington is welcome to attend our regular meetings - there is wide spectrum of
experience of depression in the groups - from very mild to more severe. Some people may have
experienced depression in the past and come along to help manage relapses.
ThroughBlue is an open group, which means that it is a flexible, drop-in setting where
individuals can join or leave at any time, providing ongoing support without a set commitment.
We do encourage attendees to join for at least three sessions to begin with to get a feel for the
group and to connect with members. But we welcome anyone for any length of time.
Both groups are diverse and range in size 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. You are
welcome to participate as much as you wish in terms of talking about your experience, or to sit
and observe without having to say anything, depending on what suits you. There is a structure
to the meetings, with a new topic each week.
We support people who take medication as well as those who do not. The group rules or
agreements provide safety and are regularly revised. Women can attend as they choose –
whether they come once in a while or every week – for short or long term.
We use an inclusive definition of “woman” and we welcome cis women, transwomen,
genderqueer women, intersex and non-binary people who are significantly female-identified.
Who facilitates the groups?
ThroughBlue is facilitated by a professionally registered NZAC counsellor. Friday’s group also
when possible is supported by a Weltec Counselling Student (supervised by a NZAC
counsellor).
What is the structure of the Friday (and Monday) group meetings ?
The group follows a structure each week which provides safety and consistency for participants,
sessions usually follow as structured below:
- 12:30pm (6:30pm) Meditative grounding exercise
- 12:40pm (6:40pm) Opening round – each participant has time to share how they are doing and what the week has been like. Facilitators share questions to help structure this sharing time.
- 1:30pm (7:30pm) Tea break (about 10 minutes)
- 1:40pm (7:40pm) Educational topic
- 1:20pm (8:20pm) Closing round
- 2:30pm (8:30pm) Finish
What is the group understanding?
ThroughBlue has a group agreement, which includes specifics of how to keep members feel
comfortable and safe in the space together. Our ThroughBlue facilitators will share this with you
when they make contact prior to joining the group.