Not every group room at Shanti Orange County works the same way. Knowing the difference between peer support and group therapy helps you choose, or combine, the right fit.
Peer Support Groups
Círculo Latino (first Tuesday monthly, 5:30–7 pm) is an open community meeting. Facilitators hold space, but the format is not clinical treatment. Members share community conversation in Spanish rather than following a clinical protocol.
Best when you want:
- Fellowship without enrollment paperwork
- Shared experience with people who understand HIV or language/culture
- A free, drop-in rhythm
HIV Therapy Group (Clinician-Led)
Shanti's HIV therapy group meets weekly and is led by a licensed therapist. It is a clinical group: the therapist guides interventions, maintains agreements, and tracks progress over time. Members commit to regular attendance so the group stays safe and effective.
Best when you want:
- Structured processing of grief, stigma, trauma, or chronic illness stress
- Clinical skills you practice between sessions
- A consistent small group with professional facilitation
Joining: By intake only. Call (949) 452-0888. Staff confirm the group matches your needs before you start.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| | Peer groups | HIV therapy group | |---|-------------|-------------------| | Leader | Peer facilitator | Licensed therapist | | Cost | Free (open groups) | Low-cost fees from $65; ask intake | | Enrollment | Open | Intake required | | Focus | Fellowship, 12-step, community | Clinical therapy goals | | Attendance | Come when you can | Regular commitment expected |
Individual Counseling Still Matters
Group therapy does not replace one-on-one mental health counseling. Many members do both: private sessions for personal history, group for shared HIV experience. Case management can run parallel when benefits or housing need attention.
Explore Mental health counseling and Peer support vs. therapy for more detail.
Medical Care Is Separate
Groups address emotional and social health. Antiretroviral treatment, labs, and specialist visits stay with your medical provider. Shanti case managers help you navigate those systems but do not prescribe medication.
Start With a Conversation
Unsure which group fits? Call intake and describe your diagnosis status, language, schedule, and whether you want open meetings or clinical structure. Visit the clinician-led HIV therapy group page and First visit to begin.
Cost, Concretely
This is where the two formats separate most sharply.
Círculo Latino is free and open. No client relationship, no fee, no intake required. First Tuesday of the month, 5:30 to 7 pm, in Spanish.
The HIV therapy group is clinical care and is priced as such. Low-cost fees start at $65, and intake walks through insurance and options for your circumstances. It runs weekly and is arranged through intake rather than drop-in.
If cost is the deciding factor, say so at intake instead of quietly opting out.
Why Consistent Attendance Is the Mechanism
The clinician-led group works because the same people come back. Members get to know each other over time, and that accumulated familiarity is what makes the group itself a therapeutic tool rather than a rotating discussion. Giving and receiving feedback from people who share your diagnosis produces a kind of understanding that is genuinely hard to find elsewhere, including in individual counseling.
That is also why it is arranged through intake. A group whose membership churns weekly cannot do this work.
How to Choose
- Want community with no commitment and no fee? Círculo Latino, if Spanish-language fits.
- Want structured clinical work with a consistent cohort? The HIV therapy group.
- Want one-to-one attention on your specific history? Individual counseling, $65 or $100 per session depending on licensure, many insurance plans accepted for eligible services.
- Need housing, benefits, pharmacy, or appointments sorted? Case management, which is a different service entirely.
These stack. Plenty of clients use two or three at once, and intake will help you sequence them rather than making you choose blind.
What None of Them Are
None of these replace medical care. Shanti does not provide HIV testing, lab work, treatment, or prescriptions. A case manager can link you to a clinic that does.
Asking About a Group
Call 949-452-0888, Monday through Friday, 9 am to 5 pm PT, or email [email protected]. Groups meet at our Laguna Hills office, 23461 South Pointe Dr., Suite 100, with free parking on site. Staff work in English, Spanish, Farsi, and Hindi, and all services are LGBTQ-affirming.
