A Soft Place to Land: How GPS Supports Recovery, Wellness, and the People Who Care for Others

When people work in recovery, peer support, and community care, they often spend their days holding space for others. But where do they go to pause, reflect, and be supported?

Recently, staff from Choice Recovery Coaching from Greenfield, MA came together for a focus group to share their experiences with GPS training and GPS support groups. What emerged was a powerful picture of connection, safety, and healing, not just for individuals in recovery, but for the people who support recovery every day.

A Space to Show Up as You Are

Again and again, participants described GPS support groups as a place where they could arrive honestly, without fear of judgment, advice, or needing to “fix” anything.

“GPS really provides us the opportunity to show up as ourselves without a mask, without a cape.”

Another described the relief of being fully heard:

“It’s a safe space to really say whatever is on your mind and heart without fear of being criticized or being provided advice.”

For many, this kind of space felt fundamentally different from other recovery or professional environments—especially those where crosstalk, expectations, or pressure to perform can creep in.

Healing the Healers

Many focus group participants work in recovery coaching, peer support, outreach, or community wellness roles. Several named something that often goes unspoken: the emotional toll of supporting others.

One participant captured this powerfully:

“It’s a place to heal the healer… we empty and empty, and sometimes we just need a spot where we can be ourselves.”

Others spoke about emotional fatigue and the challenge of turning off the “helper” role at the end of the day. GPS groups offered a structured pause, a reminder that caring for oneself is not optional, but essential. One participant noted that GPS allowed them to slow down and focus inward, which was so necessary after focusing on others all day long. 

Participants described GPS as a practice of intentionally slowing down. The model’s emphasis on reflection, consent, and silence allowed people to reconnect with themselves and with each other.

“It’s given me a chance to take a step back… to enjoy that pause.”

In a culture that often rewards urgency and productivity, this kind of pause felt both rare and deeply restorative.

Bringing GPS Beyond the Group

Participants also shared how GPS training influenced their professional practice. Many described using different parts of the GPS model and methodology, like asking permission, reflecting back strengths, and resisting the urge to fix, during their one-on-one work, team settings, and community spaces. 

At Choice Recovery, participants shared plans to officially launch GPS-style groups, including both recovery-focused and resiliency-focused offerings. They emphasized that GPS aligns closely with their core values: voluntary participation, meeting people where they are, and honoring autonomy.

The voices in this focus group make one thing clear: GPS is more than a model. It’s a way of being, with ourselves, with each other, and within our communities.

As Choice Recovery prepares to launch GPS groups, and as GPS continues to partner with recovery organizations, these reflections will help guide the work forward, grounded in lived experience, compassion, and the belief that everyone deserves a place to land.

At the end of the focus group, participants were asked to describe the value of GPS for recovery communities in just one sentence. One response stayed with everyone in the room:

“It’s not about being perfect. It’s about being whole.”

Bring MASStrong to Your Workplace

GPS’s MASStrong program offers free GPS trainings, support groups, curriculums, and toolkits for Massachusetts medical, behavioral health, and community care workers and organizations. Eligible organizations can also apply for GPS partnership support and grants up to $10,000.