Support group for adult children of toxic or abusive families
A gentle therapeutic space for connection and healing
Growing up with difficult or toxic parents can leave lasting emotional impacts that carry into adult life. This 6‑week in‑person support group offers a gentle, supportive space to explore those experiences, build understanding, and feel less alone.
Do you have a difficult relationship with one or both of your parents? Have you often felt unheard, misunderstood, blamed, or invalidated? Did your childhood involve cruelty or emotional harm that left scars you’re still trying to heal? Do these wounds show up in your adult relationships and the way you move through the world? Do interactions with your parents or family of origin leave you feeling anxious, ungrounded, or triggered? Have you made the painful decision to limit or cut contact with your parents? If you answered yes to any of the above, this group may be for you. Hi, we’re Neliona and Evangelia, two experienced counsellors based in Edinburgh. We are creating a support group for adult children who grew up with toxic parenting and difficult family dynamics. Our aim is to offer a safe, supportive space where you can:
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Share your story at your own pace
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Feel heard, seen, and validated
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Connect with others who have lived through parental abuse or toxic family systems
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Build community and feel less alone in your healing journey
This group is for people who want to gently explore how their upbringing has shaped them and who are seeking connection, understanding, and support in a non-judgmental environment. You don’t have to carry this alone.
6-Week Group Programme
Week 1- Creating safety and understanding our emotions In our first session we will get to know one another and establish the foundations of the group, including confidentiality, boundaries, and psychological safety. We will explore how we experience emotions and introduce simple self‑regulation techniques that can help us stay grounded and supported throughout the group process.
Week 2- Strengthen the adult part This session focuses on developing the Adult part of ourselves, the part that can observe, reflect, and respond thoughtfully to our experiences. We will also explore how the nervous system responds to stress through fight, flight, or freeze responses, and how understanding these reactions can help us relate to ourselves with greater compassion.
Week 3- Meeting the Inner Child In this session we gently begin to connect with the different parts of ourselves, particularly the younger parts that hold early experiences and emotional memories. Participants are invited to bring a photograph of themselves as children, which can help open a reflective conversation about early experiences and the messages we may have received about ourselves while growing up. We will also introduce the idea of the window of tolerance and explore how we can remain emotionally present while connecting with these experiences.
Week 4- Understanding Toxic Family Dynamics We will explore how difficult or harmful family environments can shape our beliefs about ourselves and others. Together we will reflect on the ways our needs may not have been met and the coping strategies we developed in order to adapt and survive.
Week 5- Reparenting The Inner Child This session focuses on the idea of reparenting, learning how to respond to ourselves with the care, protection, and understanding we may not have received earlier in life. We will explore ways of developing a more supportive inner relationship and begin to nurture the younger parts of ourselves with compassion and kindness.
Week 6- Reflection, Integration & Ending In our final session we will take time to reflect on the journey of the group and the insights that have emerged. We will focus on integration, acknowledging personal growth, and considering how to continue supporting ourselves beyond the group. The session will also provide space to bring the group experience to a thoughtful and supportive close.
Event Details
Location
20 Forth Street, Edinburgh, EH1 3LH
When
The support group will begin on the Friday, 15th May 2026 for 6 weeks
Cost
£240.00 (6-weeks inclusive)
8 spaces available
Join Us
If you are interested in joining this group, you can complete this short questionnaire.
After receiving your application, we will invite you for a short conversation to ensure that this group is the right and safe space for you at this time.
For any questions that may arise, please contact us at neliona.moutsou@gmail.com or 07511 324059.