What if emojis and storytelling could transform your online support group into a vibrant, connected community?
In the virtual space, engagement goes beyond the basics. The key to creating a thriving support group lies in using creativity to foster trust, connection, and emotional safety. From simple emojis to powerful storytelling, these engagement tools can make your group feel less like a meeting and more like a supportive community.
Ready to energize your online group? Let’s dive in.
Starting your session with an engaging activity sets the emotional temperature for the group. These icebreakers help members feel seen and safe, and they establish an environment where vulnerability is welcomed, not feared.
This activity blends humor with creativity and is an excellent way to loosen up the group at the beginning of a session. Show the group a quirky or abstract image—think “a dog wearing sunglasses on a surfboard” or a nostalgic cartoon moment—and invite participants to submit their funniest caption.
Allowing anonymous submissions can be especially helpful for members who are shy or new to the group, including those managing grief or substance abuse. Laughter naturally reduces cortisol levels (the stress hormone) and helps participants feel more connected, supporting stress management even before any deep sharing begins.
To amplify engagement:
This quick, visually engaging exercise is a low-pressure way to invite emotional self-expression, especially helpful for participants who may struggle with verbalizing how they feel.
Ask members to describe their current mood using only three emojis. For example, someone might share: 😅☕📚—indicating stress, caffeine, and a busy day of learning. Then, optionally, other members can try to interpret each set, gamifying the experience for added fun.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, using symbolic expression (like emojis) can help people identify and regulate emotions more effectively. It also encourages accessibility across diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds.
Enhance the activity with tools like:
This check-in helps build emotional awareness while also making group members feel heard—without requiring them to say too much too soon.
Creative expression is one of the most effective ways to deepen emotional insight and foster genuine connection in support groups. Especially in virtual spaces, where verbal communication can sometimes feel limited or intimidating, creative exercises offer a powerful alternative for participants to process and share their emotions. When you give individuals permission to explore their inner world through art or storytelling, you create opportunities for vulnerability, self-discovery, and healing.
Sometimes, emotions defy words—and that’s where drawing can step in. “Draw Your Mood” is a reflective activity designed to help members express their feelings visually, rather than verbally.
Invite participants to sketch an abstract representation of their current emotional state. For example, you might ask, “If your mood were a weather forecast, what would it look like?”—leading to drawings like a sunny sky, swirling tornado, or quiet raincloud.
After the drawing time, host a virtual “Gallery Walk” where members share a short one-sentence description of their art. This process encourages reflection, builds empathy, and helps members connect over shared feelings in a low-pressure format.
📌 Tips for implementation:
According to research published in Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, engaging in visual art activities can significantly reduce stress and improve mood—even after just 45 minutes of creative engagement.
There’s a unique magic in co-creating a story together. Collaborative storytelling fosters peer support, energizes engagement, and helps group members build trust and a sense of unity. To begin, start with a light-hearted prompt like “The day the coffee machine rebelled…” or “An unexpected letter arrived from outer space…”. Each group member, whether a caregiver, parent, veteran, or health professional, then adds one sentence, building the story together. This spontaneous, unfiltered format not only boosts employee engagement and attention but also reveals glimpses of members’ mindsets and perspectives, often reflecting emotions tied to stress management, coping, grief, or even optimism. Once completed, compile the final product into a digital “Group Storybook” as a meaningful resource. You can revisit these stories later to reflect on culture, celebrate progress, or simply enjoy a good laugh together.
📌 Helpful engagement tools:
Storytelling has been shown to support mental health by promoting empathy, resilience, and self-expression. According to research from the University of Massachusetts, narrative therapy techniques—like sharing and reshaping stories—can empower individuals to reframe challenges and see themselves as capable of growth.
Every person has something unique to offer—and when we spotlight those hidden talents in a safe and encouraging environment, we reinforce self-worth, pride, and connection. This next set of activities helps celebrate individuality while injecting fun and energy into your sessions.
Whether it’s baking banana bread, folding origami, singing a tune, or juggling lemons—talent comes in all forms. Hosting a Virtual Talent Showcase invites members to step into the spotlight and share something that brings them joy.
This is not a performance contest; it’s a celebration of creativity and courage. Encourage participation by emphasizing that every talent counts, no matter how simple or quirky.
Make it extra fun with lighthearted awards like “Audience Favorite” or “Most Unexpected Skill.” Record the showcase using Zoom or Loom, and compile a recap video or photo collage in Google Drive as a memento for the group.
This activity fosters appreciation, builds confidence, and gives members a deeper sense of identity within the group.
Words shape our inner world. “Word of the Day” is a gentle yet meaningful activity that brings depth to your group discussions through shared language exploration.
Begin each session with an uplifting or reflective word such as “resilience,” “serendipity,” or “growth.” Ask participants to share a personal story or insight that connects with the word. You’ll be surprised how even one word can open the door to rich, heartfelt conversations.
📌 How to enhance this practice:
This exercise helps normalize emotional expression, introduces new language around mental wellness, and invites each member to find their voice. According to research on expressive writing and language use in therapeutic settings, even brief sessions focused on meaningful language can increase emotional clarity and overall well-being.
Adding a playful twist to your support group sessions can help members unwind, laugh, and connect in fresh, meaningful ways. Activities that involve light competition or personal reflection can spark joy and create memorable shared experiences. As research from the National Institute for Play suggests, playful interaction increases emotional resilience and fosters a sense of belonging, essential elements in any mental health support setting, especially for patients managing grief, substance abuse, or bipolar disorder with the help of peer support and caregiver guidance.
Gratitude has been shown to boost mental health, enhance optimism, and improve relationships. A Gratitude Scavenger Hunt transforms this positive practice into a fun, mindful game.
Start by crafting prompts such as:
Participants can either snap photos or write short descriptions of the items they find in their surroundings. The first few members to complete the list can receive a small recognition, such as a group shoutout or virtual badge.
📌 Recommended tools:
This activity not only strengthens participants’ appreciation for the small joys in life but also encourages mindfulness, an evidence-based approach to managing anxiety and stress.
Injecting humor and reflection into your session, the “Would You Rather?” Wellness Edition is a fantastic way to initiate discussion, reveal shared preferences, and open the floor to personal stories.
Here are a few sample prompts:
This game brings out smiles while gently inviting participants to reflect on their values, coping mechanisms, and wellness priorities.
📌 Use tools like:
This game blends entertainment with introspection—two essential ingredients for sustaining engagement in virtual support environments.
Nostalgia and shared emotional moments are powerful in support group dynamics. They help participants feel seen and understood while offering emotional comfort through common experiences. Neuroscience research shows that recalling positive memories stimulates reward pathways in the brain, leading to improved mood and reduced anxiety. The following two activities tap into that healing potential.
The Memory Jar is a virtual collection of joyful or meaningful memories submitted by group members in either voice or written form. It acts as a communal safe space that the group can return to during moments of emotional difficulty, especially for those managing loneliness.
Invite participants to share:
Use a Google Doc or shared folder to collect submissions. Bonus: Turn those entries into a beautiful Canva slideshow to share during celebratory or reflective group sessions.
📌 Helpful tools:
This ongoing project becomes a reservoir of hope, one that can uplift not just the contributor, but the entire group, promoting happiness and emotional resilience.
Music is deeply tied to emotion and memory, making it an ideal tool for connection in mental health spaces. Invite each group member to submit a song that reflects their current mood or emotional state.
Whether it’s soothing, upbeat, or deeply personal, every song adds a layer to your group’s shared experience. Create a collaborative playlist on Spotify or YouTube Music, and give it a name that reflects your group’s identity.
Take it a step further by curating:
📌 Tools to use:
This activity turns individual moods into a collective emotional journey and offers participants an easy, accessible outlet for self-expression.
Recognition is a powerful motivator. For many family support group members, being acknowledged, no matter how small the gesture—can reinforce a sense of belonging, boost self-esteem, and encourage continued participation. According to research from the Journal of Positive Psychology, even simple forms of praise and affirmation can significantly increase engagement and overall life satisfaction.
In virtual settings, incorporating playful, low-pressure reward systems can energize your sessions, reinforce positive group behavior, and bring a sense of fun to the therapeutic environment. Here are two easy and effective ways to do just that.
Gamification isn’t just for classrooms and corporate training—it’s a proven way to make support group participation more enjoyable and meaningful. By creating digital badges, you give members something tangible to strive for, without the stress of formal goals or competition.
Design creative badges such as:
Encourage members to collect badges over time and display them on a virtual leaderboard or group profile board. You can use tools like Canva to design the badges and Trello to track and share progress visually with the group.
The goal is to celebrate effort, growth, and participation—making members feel seen and valued.
Never underestimate the power of a kind word. The Shoutout Wall is a dedicated space to spotlight positive contributions during each session. Whether someone shared a vulnerable story, supported another member, or simply showed up on a tough day, recognizing their effort can be deeply affirming.
Here’s how to incorporate it:
Use tools like Slack, Discord, or Notion to maintain an ongoing record of these shoutouts. This fosters a culture of appreciation and helps reinforce positive group dynamics.
As Harvard Business Review notes, regular recognition enhances connection and performance in group environments—this holds in therapeutic spaces too.
No two support groups are alike—and that’s the beauty of it. As a facilitator, your ability to read the room and adapt activities to your group’s unique energy is key to sustaining engagement and fostering trust.
Here are a few closing tips:
Ultimately, the most successful virtual support groups are those where creativity, connection, and care come together. From emojis to storytelling, from gratitude hunts to collaborative playlists—each tool you use becomes a thread in the fabric of a stronger, more vibrant community.
If you are in a life-threatening situation - DO NOT use this platform.
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