Gps Group Peer Support

What Gps Group Peer Support does

GPS Group Peer Support is a privately held, trauma-informed peer-support organization founded in 2015 and led by Co-Founder and CEO Liz Friedman. It builds, trains, and certifies the workforce that runs GPS-structured support groups across healthcare, recovery, parents and families, refugee, veteran, LGBTQ+, and bereavement communities, among others. The core "GPS Model" is a non-clinical, evidence-based group framework that integrates cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), motivational interviewing, mindfulness-based stress reduction, and psychosocial education within a strengths-based architecture, with repeatable components (Guidelines, Realities, Principles, PATH reflective listening, Check-In, Weaving, Grounding, Closing).

Its product set is delivered primarily through the grow.grouppeersupport.org learning platform (built on LearnWorlds) and comprises facilitator training (7-month live virtual, hybrid virtual, and self-paced, listed at $1,000 each with scholarships and CEUs/CMEs), a certification program for trained facilitators, a supervisor training program for managers of GPS facilitators, and a portfolio of specialized curriculums and support groups for distinct populations. Free support groups, training, and toolkits are funded through the Massachusetts-based MASStrong program, with eligible organizations able to apply for partnership support and grants of up to $10,000.

The business model combines paid individual facilitator training and certification (one-time-to-recurring), purchased curriculum/toolkit licenses via the GPS Store, consultation-led enterprise engagement for organizations (training + curriculum licensing + ongoing support), and grant-funded distribution via MASStrong for Massachusetts healthcare and behavioral-health workers. Customer segmentation is vertical-led, with healthcare workers as the primary focus and recovery, parents, immigrant/refugee, veteran, and LGBTQ+ communities as additional verticals. Geographic footprint is predominantly U.S. (Massachusetts-anchored), with international pilots reported in Ghana.

Name

Gps Group Peer Support

Legal name

GPS Group Peer Support

Website

https://grouppeersupport.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

GPS Group Peer Support is a U.S.-based, trauma-informed peer-support organization that trains and certifies facilitators to run evidence-based support groups across healthcare, recovery, family, veteran, refugee, and LGBTQ+ communities, monetizing via facilitator training, certification, curriculum sales, and the MASStrong Massachusetts healthcare program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Peer Support Training & Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

General Mental Health Therapy Platforms (Talk Therapy) (HLALAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Volunteer & Companion Support Services (Hospice Volunteer Programs) (HSABAFAO), Student Mentoring & Peer Support Programs (EDAJALAL)

Keywords

• Trauma-informed peer support
• Facilitator training programs
• Peer support certification
• Group support models
• Healthcare worker wellness

Headquarters

HQ city

Northampton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Facilitator Training Programs: GPS offers facilitator training programs including 7-month live virtual training ($1000), self-paced training ($1000), and hybrid virtual sessions. MASStrong-funded options are available free of charge for eligible Massachusetts healthcare workers. Training includes CEUs/CMEs for eligible participants.
2. Certification Programs: Advanced GPS certification training for facilitators who have completed basic training, providing competency verification through coached practice and structured evaluation.
3. Supervisor Training: Self-paced supervisor training programs for managers and supervisors of GPS-trained facilitators, focusing on implementation, safety boundaries, and program success.
4. Curriculum Sales: Sale of specialized curriculums for various populations including healthcare workers, recovery communities, parents, and specific professional groups through the GPS Store (grow.grouppeersupport.org/store).
5. Free Community Programs (MASStrong): MASStrong program provides free GPS training, support groups, curriculums, and toolkits for Massachusetts medical, behavioral health, and community care workers and organizations, with eligible organizations receiving grants up to $10,000.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

GPS Group Peer Support trains individuals and organizations to facilitate trauma-informed peer support groups using its proprietary GPS Model, which integrates CBT, Motivational Interviewing, and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction within a strengths-based framework. It sells facilitator training (live virtual, hybrid virtual, self-paced), certification, and supervisor training programs, delivers population-specific peer support groups and curriculums, and offers free training and grants to Massachusetts healthcare workers through the MASStrong program.

Product overview

GPS Group Peer Support offers a trauma-informed peer support model comprising facilitator training programs (7-month live virtual, self-paced, and hybrid virtual formats), certification, and supervisor training. The organization provides structured support groups for diverse communities including the Black Community, people in recovery, parents, LGBTQ+ youth, women in menopause, and Spanish-speaking Latinas. Curriculum offerings include specialized guides for home health nurses, physician assistants, and bullying support. MASStrong is a Massachusetts-based program providing free training and grants up to $10,000 for eligible healthcare organizations. The platform is built on the LearnWorlds e-learning system.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MASStrong: Free training program for Massachusetts healthcare and mental health workers to lead trauma-informed peer support groups, with implementation funding and grants up to $10,000 available for eligible organizations.

Products and services

• GPS Facilitator Training A 20-hour trauma-informed facilitator training program offered in live virtual (7-month), hybrid virtual, and self-paced formats that teaches participants to facilitate evidence-based peer support groups using the GPS Model, which integrates CBT, Motivational Interviewing, and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. Priced at $1,000 per cohort, with MASStrong-funded options available free for eligible Massachusetts healthcare workers, and includes 20 hours of CEUs/CMEs.
• GPS Certification Program Advanced practice-based certification pathway for trained GPS facilitators that includes live applied skill sessions, peer participation, co-facilitation with coaching, and rubric-based evaluation to verify competency.
• GPS Supervisor Training Self-paced training program preparing managers and supervisors of GPS-trained facilitators to support implementation, safety boundaries, and program success within their organizations.
• MASStrong Program Massachusetts-based initiative providing free GPS facilitator training, support groups, curriculums, and toolkits to medical, behavioral health, and community-care workers and organizations. Eligible organizations can apply for partnership support and grants up to $10,000.
• Trauma-Informed Peer Support Groups Scheduled peer-led support groups for diverse populations including the Black Community, People in Recovery, Parents and Families, LGBTQ+ and Allied Communities, women in menopause/perimenopause, caregivers of children facing bullying, Spanish-language Latinas (GPS M\u00e1s Fuertes Juntas), and general open-session groups (GPS for Everyone).
• GPS For Home Health Nurses Curriculum A 4-session curriculum guide developed with New England Life Care that supports home health nurses through trauma-informed peer support, covering the emotional weight of care and finding strength in shared experience.
• GPS For Physician Assistants Curriculum A trauma-informed peer support curriculum developed in partnership with the Massachusetts Association of PAs (MAPA) for physician assistants facing burnout, compassion fatigue, and emotional strain in healthcare environments.
• GPS for Bullying Support Curriculum A curriculum framework for parents and caregivers of children and teens experiencing bullying, focusing on building connection, empathy, and resilience through trauma-informed group peer support.
• GPS Store Curriculums & Toolkits E-commerce storefront (grow.grouppeersupport.org/store) offering specialized curriculums and toolkits for multiple populations including healthcare workers, recovery communities, parents, refugees, veterans, and other professional groups.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% of participants found GPS groups helpful
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• American Psychological Foundation (APF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGPS Group Peer Support is an APF Direct Action Program partner supporting the expansion of the GPS model to offer free, evidence-based support groups to communities in need. Through this partnership, GPS deploys its evidence-based approach to support communities in crisis and create sustainable structures for ongoing support. APF Direct Action funds innovative interventions based on psychological knowledge that directly address pressing community needs.
• New England Life CarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThrough MASStrong partnership, GPS provides structured GPS support groups for home infusion nurses. This partnership demonstrated that structured peer support significantly impacts nurse wellbeing, with 97% first-time participants reporting positive experiences and 77% willing to recommend the program to others.
• Massachusetts Association of PAs (MAPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGPS and MAPA co-developed the GPS For Physician Assistants Curriculum specifically addressing burnout, emotional fatigue, and professional support needs for PAs. MAPA serves as a MASStrong Implementation Partner committed to strengthening wellbeing and support for PAs across the profession.
• Gilly's HousecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGilly's House is a sober recovery home in Wrentham, MA that has supported over 270 men from 85+ Massachusetts communities. Through MASStrong, GPS provides trauma-informed peer support, facilitator training, and support groups for staff working in recovery communities who need emotional support while helping others.
• Center for Human Development (CHD)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCHD is a MASStrong Implementation Partner using the GPS model to strengthen staff support systems, expand GPS support groups, and build sustainable peer support infrastructure. CHD staff participate in focus groups demonstrating how peer support helps behavioral health workers process trauma and build organizational resilience.
• Midwifery Exchange (Ghana)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGPS provided free facilitator training to healthcare teams in Ghana to explore bringing peer support more intentionally into maternal and community health settings. Midwifery Exchange is planning a pilot GPS support group for mothers in Dorimon and discussing support groups for midwives themselves. This international partnership demonstrates GPS's adaptable model for global healthcare contexts.
• MAPSN (Malden Area Social Work/Mental Health Network)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with MAPSN through MASStrong to help shape the future of peer support networks for mental health professionals in the Malden area. The collaboration has transformed how peer support groups are facilitated and how mental health communities think about creating supportive environments.
• Boston Healthcare OrganizationscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMultiple Boston-based healthcare organizations partner with GPS through MASStrong to provide peer support training and support groups for healthcare workers experiencing burnout, stress, and compassion fatigue.
• Latinx CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to provide culturally responsive peer support services and training for Hispanic and Latino(a) communities through programs like GPS para Comunidades Hispanas/Latino(as) and GPS Más Fuertes Juntas.
• New England Behavioral Health ServicescoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartnership providing trauma-informed peer support training and implementation support for behavioral health organizations across New England.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Calm: Consumer and employer-facing mental wellness app with mindfulness, sleep, and therapy services. Comparable to GPS as a broader mental health and mindfulness brand operating in employer benefit channels with overlapping content modalities (mindfulness, CBT).
• Headspace: Global mental wellness platform offering employer B2B subscriptions for stress, burnout, and resilience support. Comparable to GPS as a workplace wellness and burnout intervention competing for the same healthcare and enterprise buyer budgets.
• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): Nation's largest grassroots mental health organization operating NAMI Peer-to-Peer and NAMI Basics training programs. Directly comparable to GPS as a peer-led support group and facilitator training provider for individuals and families affected by mental health conditions.
• Lyra Health: Enterprise mental health benefit provider offering coaching, therapy, and burnout programs to employers including healthcare systems. Comparable to GPS as a vendor selling workforce mental health and burnout solutions into healthcare enterprise buyers.
• Mental Health America: Largest U.S. nonprofit addressing mental health with peer specialist training, workplace mental health programs, and community-based support. Comparable to GPS as a peer-led mental health training and advocacy organization targeting overlapping populations (healthcare workers, recovery, families).

Emerging players

• The Copeland Center for Wellness and Recovery: Peer-run training and consulting organization offering Wellness Recovery Action Planning (WRAP) and peer specialist credentialing. Directly comparable to GPS for its peer support training, certification pathways, and focus on trauma-informed facilitation.

Direct peers

• Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA): National organization running peer-led support groups for people living with mood disorders, with affiliated chapter infrastructure. Comparable to GPS as a peer support group facilitator and trainer in the mental health space.
• Recovery International: Peer-led mental health organization founded on Abraham Low's group method, providing training and structured support groups worldwide. Comparable to GPS as a long-running, peer-driven mental health group support model with international facilitator networks.
• Intentional Peer Support: Trauma-informed, non-clinical peer support training organization offering structured curricula and certification for peer specialists. Closest direct peer to GPS in philosophy, model architecture, and target audience (behavioral health and human services workforce).
• Wildflower Alliance: Massachusetts-based peer support and recovery learning community offering trainings, support groups, and resources. Closely comparable to GPS for its regional Massachusetts presence, peer-led model, and trauma-informed approach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=KJM6WfZkboA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gps-group-peer-support

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Gps Group Peer Support