Spoonies and Tea
a chronic illness support group
Do you find yourself bracing for disbelief any time you mention pain, fatigue, or flares?
Do you feel pressure to sound upbeat, grateful, or inspiring when you actually feel exhausted?
Do you wish you had one place where you could talk about how hard it is, without having to soften it?
Are you grieving who you were before illness, while also trying to survive who you have to be now?
Spoonies and Tea is a closed, bi-weekly peer support and psychoeducation group offered by The Witch’s Therapist, an Ontario Spiritual Psychotherapist collective.
Here, you’ll find a steady space for connection and practical learning, grounded in anti-oppressive practice.
As such, we recognize that chronic illness is shaped by more than just symptoms.
Ableism, medical dismissal, systemic barriers, and access inequities can affect the lived experience of disabled people.
This is a space to be real about your grief, triumphs, hopes, and dreams, free of toxic positivity or pressure to perform for the comfort of others.
Facilitated by:
Santyna Brar, Occupational Therapist, Psychotherapist (She/They)
Santyna Brar is a licensed and trauma-informed Occupational Therapist, Psychotherapist.
She brings a lived experience with chronic illness (hEDS, dysautonomia, MCAS) to her practice.
She also offers practical occupational therapy tools to support with navigating life transitions, self-trust and self-esteem, and care systems.
Each session includes a supportive sharing space, as well as a psychoeducation segment.
This can help you understand what’s happening in your body and nervous system, and to make room for the emotional and social realities of living with a chronic illness.
Who This Offering is For
This chronic illness support group may be a good fit if you live with a physically disabling chronic illness, for example (not an exhaustive list):
Autoimmune & inflammatory conditions (e.g., MS, lupus/SLE, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, Sjögren’s)
GI conditions (e.g., Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, IBS, celiac disease, gastroparesis, GERD)
Endocrine & metabolic conditions (e.g., diabetes, thyroid disorders, PCOS, adrenal disorders)
Pain, connective tissue, and multi-system conditions (e.g., EDS/HSD, fibromyalgia, ME/CFS, dysautonomia/POTS, Long COVID)
Neurological conditions (e.g., migraine disorders, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, post-concussion symptoms)
Cardiac/vascular conditions (e.g., heart failure, arrhythmias, POTS-related cardiovascular symptoms)
Respiratory conditions (e.g., asthma, COPD, post-viral breathing difficulties)
Renal/urological conditions (e.g., chronic kidney disease, interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome)
Chronic infections/post-infectious illnesses (e.g., post-treatment Lyme symptoms, post-viral syndromes)
Allergic/Mast cell/Histamine-related conditions (e.g., MCAS, chronic urticaria)
Gynecological conditions (e.g., endometriosis, adenomyosis, chronic pelvic pain)
Hematologic conditions (e.g., anemia that significantly impacts fatigue/function, clotting disorders)
Cancer and post-cancer survivorship/long-term treatment effects (e.g., ongoing treatment, fatigue, neuropathy, lymphoedema, chronic pain)
This group is also for anyone in the process of getting a diagnosis for a chronic illness while dealing with disability that impacts their quality of life.
Session topics may include…
The interactions between chronic pain, identity, and grief
How the body’s stress system works when you live with chronic illness
Intersectionality, ableism, and the social weight of illness
Energy management and pacing strategies
Shame, stigma, and medical trauma, and how they create further barriers to necessary medical care
And more!
A poll will be shared with participants to help shape the session topics!
Format and Accessibility
Virtual, closed group (max. 8 participants)
Bi-weekly sessions
Camera is optional; feel free to go on/off as it feels comfortable (or completely off if that’s what you need!)
No requirement to verbally share (you can participate by listening, using chat, or simply being present)
Please email santyna.brar@thewitchstherapist.com about any other accessibility needs.
Locations You Can Join From
This chronic illness support group is being offered to people living in the following provinces:
Ontario, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island.
Dates and Times
Biweekly on Wednesdays at 2:30-4:15 PM Eastern:
Wednesday, January 28, 2026
Wednesday, February 11, 2026
Wednesday, February 25, 2026
Wednesday, March 11, 2026
Wednesday, March 25, 2026
Wednesday, April 8, 2026
Cost
$330 total (payment plans available upon request)