Support Groups – Connect with Others
SUPPORT GROUPS
The IPA is here for you! A big part of our mission is to be able to provide help to individuals suffering from paruresis at any point in his or her journey. Support groups are an important tool to do just that. No support group near you? Just fill out our Contact the IPA page and we’ll connect you with one of our virtual groups – and perhaps encourage you to start your own group with our assistance!
We currently have an extensive list of international IPA support groups, each facilitated by someone with a personal understanding of Paruresis. IPA support groups maintain contact with participants in a variety of ways and typically meet monthly for practice sessions and to share stories and experiences. If you see a support group on the list that you are interested in, please contact the leader at the indicated address for additional information.* Leaders are volunteers, so we apologize if you don’t get a timely response. Again, feel free to reach out to the IPA Office for assistance on our Contact the IPA page.
INDIVIDUAL SUPPORT
Thinking that a one-on-one interaction might be a good start? Our experienced, volunteer team can provide coaching on a no-cost, but limited basis – contact us to check availability. Interested in professional support? See our Shy Bladder Center page for licensed therapists with a specialty in Paruresis.
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT
If you are interested in a support opportunity specifically for women, please use the following link: https://paruresis.org/womens-resources/.
For those looking for support in the United Kingdom area, please note that the United Kingdom Paruresis Trust (UKPT) is an independent organization which shares the common mission with the IPA to increase awareness of Paruresis and support for those struggling with it throughout the world. The UKPT can be contacted at andrew@ukpt.org.uk.
List of Support Groups and Localized Contacts
*Support Group Leader (SGL) – has attended an IPA-approved workshop.
*Contact Person – (CP) – has not attended any IPA-approved workshops but has IPA’s approval to organize and run support group.
| Country | State | City | Type | Person | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WORLDWIDE | VIRTUAL SUPPORT GROUP | All | (SGL) | Dave | Click here for more info! |
| AUSTRALIA | Victoria | Melbourne | (SGL) | Jem | melbourne@support.paruresis.org |
| AUSTRALIA | New South Wales | Newcastle | (SGL) | Derek | meade.derek@yahoo.com.au |
| AUSTRALIA | New South Wales | Sydney | (SGL) | John | recov2000@gmail.com |
| AUSTRIA | Vienna | (SGL) | Bernd | office@paruresis.at | |
| BRAZIL | All | (SGL) | Lucas | brasil@support.paruresis.org | |
| CANADA | Alberta | Calgary | (CP) | Ken | calgary@support.paruresis.org |
| CANADA | Alberta | Edmonton | (CP) | Shuo | edmonton@support.paruresis.org |
| CANADA | British Columbia | Vancouver | (CP) | Roberto | vancouver@support.paruresis.org |
| CANADA | Ontario | Toronto | (CP) | Jim | toronto@support.paruresis.org |
| FINLAND | All | (SGL) | Eero | finland@support.paruresis.org | |
| FRANCE | All | (CP) | Sylvain | france@support.paruresis.org | |
| GERMANY | All | (SGL) | Christof | germany@support.paruresis.org | |
| GREECE | All | (CP) | Anastasios | greece@support.paruresis.org | |
| GUATEMALA | Guatemala | Guatemala City | (SGL) | Alejandro | ipaguatemala@gmail.com |
| INDIA | All | (CP) | Achyuth | paruresisindia@gmail.com | |
| ISRAEL | --- | (CP) | Coordinator Needed! | Please use the Contact the IPA form. | |
| ITALY | All | (CP) | Max | italy@support.paruresis.org | |
| MALAYSIA | Maleka | (CP) | YK | malaysiaparuresis@gmail.com | |
| MEXICO | Nuevo León | Monterrey | (CP) | Oscar | ipamexico.info@gmail.com |
| POLAND | All | (CP) | Group | Paruresis Poland Facebook Group | |
| PORTUGAL | Lisbon | (SGL) | José | lisbon@support.paruresis.org | |
| PORTUGAL | All | (CP) | Rui | portugal@support.paruresis.org | |
| REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE | Singapore | Singapore | (CP) | Rajan | ipasingapore1@gmail.com |
| RUSSIA | Moscow | (CP) | Coordinator Needed! | Please use the Contact the IPA form. | |
| SERBIA | All | (CP) | Miroslav | serbia@support.paruresis.org | |
| SLOVENIA | Ljubljana | (SGL) | Zmago | slovenia@support.paruresis.org | |
| SWEDEN | All | (CP) | Pernilla | sverige@support.paruresis.org | |
| United States | ALABAMA | All | (SGL) | Brett | alabama@support.paruresis.org |
| United States | ARIZONA | All | (CP) | Bryan | arizona@support.paruresis.org |
| United States | CALIFORNIA | Long Beach | (SGL) | Tony | tonygilbert310@gmail.com |
| United States | CALIFORNIA | Los Angeles | (CP) | Raul | LA@support.paruresis.org |
| United States | CALIFORNIA | Orange County | (CP) | Barry | orangecounty@support.paruresis.org |
| United States | CALIFORNIA | Salinas/Monterey | (SGL) | Mark | monterey@support.paruresis.org |
| United States | CALIFORNIA | San Diego | (CP) | Michael | sandiego@support.paruresis.org |
| United States | CALIFORNIA | San Fernando Valley | (CP) | Paul | thought_addict@yahoo.com |
| United States | CALIFORNIA | San Francisco | (SGL) | Lou | sanfrancisco@support.paruresis.org |
| United States | CONNECTICUT | All | (SGL) | David | connecticut@support.paruresis.org |
| United States | FLORIDA | Miami area | (SGL) | Monty | ipasupportsfl@gmail.com |
| United States | FLORIDA | Tampa Bay Area | (CP) | David | followup@support.paruresis.org |
| United States | FLORIDA | Rest of state | (CP) | Joe | jmor25@aol.com |
| United States | GEORGIA | Atlanta | (SGL) | Coordinator Needed! | Please use the Contact the IPA form. |
| United States | HAWAII | All | (CP) | Coordinator Needed! | Please use the Contact the IPA form. |
| United States | IDAHO | All | (SGL) | Chris | idaho@support.paruresis.org |
| United States | ILLINOIS | Chicago | (SGL) | Brian | chicago@support.paruresis.org |
| United States | ILLINOIS | Downstate | (SGL) | Tom | illinois@support.paruresis.org |
| United States | INDIANA | All | (CP) | Coordinator Needed! | Please use the Contact the IPA form. |
| United States | KANSAS | All | (CP) | Coordinator Needed! | Please use the Contact the IPA form. |
| United States | KENTUCKY | All | (CP) | Coordinator Needed! | Please use the Contact the IPA form. |
| United States | LOUISIANA | All | (CP) | Coordinator Needed! | Please use the Contact the IPA form. |
| United States | MAINE | Portland | (SGL) | Mike | maine@support.paruresis.org |
| United States | MARYLAND | Baltimore | (SGL) | Bill | baltimore@support.paruresis.org |
| United States | MASSACHUSETTS | Boston | (CP) | Matt | boston@support.paruresis.org |
| United States | MICHIGAN | Detroit | (SGL) | Patrick | detroit@support.paruresis.org |
| United States | MINNESOTA | Minn./St. Paul | (SGL) | Jonathan | twincities@support.paruresis.org |
| United States | MISSOURI | All | (CP) | Coordinator Needed! | Please use the Contact the IPA form. |
| United States | NEVADA | Las Vegas | (CP) | Stanley | BuddyE98@gmail.com |
| United States | NEW JERSEY | Woodbridge | (SGL) | Glenn | ipanewjersey@gmail.com |
| United States | NEW YORK | Albany | (SGL) | A.J. | ipaalbany@gmail.com |
| United States | NEW YORK | Buffalo | (CP) | Alex | buffalo@support.paruresis.org |
| United States | NEW YORK | Hudson Valley | (SGL) | Steve | hudsonvalley@support.paruresis.org |
| United States | NEW YORK | Long Island | (SGL) | Don | longisland@support.paruresis.org |
| United States | NORTH CAROLINA | Winston-Salem | (SGL) | Roger | shybladder123@gmail.com |
| United States | OHIO | Cleveland | (CP) | Greg | cleveland@support.paruresis.org |
| United States | OKLAHOMA | All | (CP) | Coordinator Needed! | Please use the Contact the IPA form. |
| United States | OREGON | Portland | (SGL) | Doug | oregon@support.paruresis.org |
| United States | OREGON | Eugene | (SGL) | George | eugene@support.paruresis.org |
| United States | PENNSYLVANIA | Philadelphia | (SGL) | James | ipaphilly@yahoo.com |
| United States | TENNESSEE | All | (SGL) | Marty | tennessee@support.paruresis.org |
| United States | TEXAS | Dallas | (CP) | John | dallas@support.paruresis.org |
| United States | TEXAS | Houston | (CP) | Chris | houston@support.paruresis.org |
| United States | WASHINGTON | Seattle/Tacoma | (SGL) | Dave | seattle-tacoma@support.paruresis.org |
| United States | WISCONSIN | All | (SGL) | Dave | davidk@support.paruresis.org |
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QUICK LINKS
INTERNATIONAL PARURESIS ASSOCIATION
P.O. Box 21237
Catonsville, MD 21228
You Are Not Alone.
There Is Help For You!
Shy Bladder, Bashful Bladder, Pee Shy
IPA OFFICE HOURS
Monday - Friday
10:00am - 6:00pm (ET)
844-I-CANT-PEE (422-6873)
US/Canada
443-315-5250 Office
Email: getinfo@paruresis.org
This website is NOT a substitute for medical or legal advice and does not constitute the practice of law, medicine, psychiatry, clinical psychology, clinical social work, or any other mental health profession. If you are having trouble urinating, you should always contact a physician since difficulty with voiding can be a symptom of a serious medical condition. We are a group of professional people and people who have suffered with paruresis. We have assembled a board and a board of advisors to help people cope with urinary dysfunction that has a psychological or social origin. On this website, we are NOT practicing medicine, psychiatry, clinical psychology, clinical social work or any other mental health profession. You should have your doctor evaluate your condition before diagnosing yourself, and seek the appropriate necessary mental health counseling if warranted. IPA, Inc. disclaims any and all legal liability whatsoever.
