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Heather225 profile picture
Forum Guideline Refresher: Listener Boundaries & Utilizing Member Accounts
by Heather225
Last post
 Monday
...See more Whether you are new to the community or a seasoned Listener, it’s always good to refresh ourselves on the guidelines that keep our platform safe. One topic that comes up often is Listener Boundaries (specifically Forum Guideline 7) and knowing when to use a Member account. The Golden Rule: Maintain the Listener Role When you are logged into your Listener account, your primary focus should be on giving support. If you are going through a tough time, need to vent, or are looking for emotional support for your own personal struggles, please switch over to your Member account. This ensures that anyone reaching out to a Listener is connecting with someone who is currently in the right headspace to help. ------------------------- Relating vs. Seeking Support It is totally natural to want to connect, but there is a clear line between empathizing with someone and accidentally reversing roles: * Okay (Relating): Briefly mentioning a past experience to validate a Member's feelings and show them they aren't alone. (e.g., "I hear you. When I dealt with anxiety, I felt really overwhelmed too.") * Not Okay (Seeking Support): Sharing your current struggles in a way that shifts the focus to you, which puts the Member in the uncomfortable position of having to comfort you. ------------------------- Keep Your Accounts Separate To protect everyone's boundaries, 7 Cups requires your Listener and Member identities to remain completely separate. * Please do not link your two accounts in your bio or username. * Avoid announcing, "I'm going to switch to my Member account now." Just log out and log back in! * Keeping these separate stops lines from blurring and prevents Members from feeling obligated to support a Listener they previously confided in. Listener Boundaries are enforced in Forum rule #7: "Users are expected to maintain a listener role if on a listener account. This includes not seeking emotional or personal support and following the expectations of a listener outlined in active listening. Please switch to a member account if necessary." Please note that violations of this guideline result in post removal. ------------------------- What About Listener Support? If you had a heavy chat and need to decompress about your listening experience, that is what Listener-only spaces, such as the Listener Support Room [https://www.7cups.com/chat/?c=2_2b554a18cf379d85bN8W7-fzi03rI51eauafmg], Peer Supporters [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc2yFIiL6az6UEOc5LNqOOERpM7D0g8F49x0qjbIq7QwhJOBQ/viewform], and Mentors [https://www.7cups.com/listener/training/mentors/]are for! However, if you need to talk about your own real-life problems, please log into your Member account to get the dedicated support you deserve. Taking care of your own mental health is just as important as being there for others. By keeping these boundaries clear, we keep the community safe, organized, and supportive for everyone.
Hope profile picture
Follow us on social media!
by Hope
Last post
 Sunday
...See more Hi everyone, I hope you all are well. Did you know you can follow 7 Cups on your favorite social media platforms? Social media can be a mixed place, on one end we can find accounts/pages related to all of our favorite things but on the other hand, it can make us compare ourselves to others and sometimes interact with less than positive content. On our social media accounts, we share positive content focusing on inspirational quotes, the great things happening in our community, and what's up in the mental health world with a little fun in between. Our aim is to provide you with content that is good for your mental health. Following 7Cups social media accounts not only makes a positive impact on your feed, but it also helps us reach more people. More people can know about our platform and can benefit from our mission. That's quite a win, win if you ask me! To acknowledge and show our appreciation for the support you show you and us! Everyone who follows the following social media accounts will receive the ‘Super Supporter badge' Instagram - @7Cups [https://www.instagram.com/7cups/] Twitter - @7Cups [https://twitter.com/7cups] & @7CupsTeen [https://twitter.com/7CupsTeen] Facebook - 7CupsOfTea [https://www.facebook.com/7CupsOfTea/] Youtube - 7 Cups of Tea [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYsco2bYgzQzUsLnaO899Qg] LinkedIn - 7-cups [https://www.linkedin.com/company/7-cups] You can also follow 7 Cups Academy on LinkedIn! 7-cups-academy [https://www.linkedin.com/company/7-cups-academy/] Step 1) Hit follow! (We understand that not everyone has accounts on all social media platforms so you can follow the ones that you have accounts on) Step 2) Reply to this thread and let us know that you have followed us!
Hope profile picture
7 Cups for the searching soul book - Read and review to get a badge!
by Hope
Last post
 September 2nd
...See more Hi everyone, I hope you are doing well. Some of you may be aware that we have our very own book! It's called the 7 Cups for the searching soul. There is even a training /self-help guide based on the same book. The book focuses on helping you understand your behavior better, provide you with tips and tricks to grow as a person, and provides in-depth information about how our platforms can support you with your journey of growth. We encourage everyone to read the book and reflect on its contents. The admin team and I have read the book and we have really enjoyed the overall experience. You can download your copy of the book on Amazon for free here [https://www.amazon.com/7-Cups-Searching-Soul-7Cups-ebook/dp/B01BFWMCXY] * Please note that the book is available in the following Amazon marketplaces: United States, United Kingdom, Canada, India, Mexico, Brazil, Germany, Japan, Spain, France, Italy, Australia, and the Netherlands. Don't see your country listed? We've got you covered! Please find PDF and MOBI versions here [https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/611898]. To get the Soul Searcher badge please follow the following steps: Download the e-book from Amazon (if your country provides it) or use the second link and read it. Leave us a review on Amazon [https://www.amazon.com/7-Cups-Searching-Soul-7Cups-ebook/dp/B01BFWMCXY] or Good reads [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28930126-7-cups-for-the-searching-soul?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=465CcxbNjk&rank=1]. Respond to this thread, let us know you did step 1 & 2 and tell us what were your favourite bits! We will appreciate your support in downloading and reviewing the book as more downloads/reviews help us reach and support more people.
GlenM profile picture
September 2026 Community Update!
by GlenM
Last post
 September 4th
...See more Dear Community, Summer is winding down. 3 of my 4 kids are now in college. The last year for the twins, one just starting as a freshman, and 1 still at home as a freshman in high school. We’ve never had just one child in the home before, so this is new for all of us. I’ve been watching a lot of anime (Princess Mononoke and Castle in the Sky) and learning more about fashion. 2 things I never thought I’d be learning about! I also just got back from taking my dad on a bucket list trip. He is starting to slow down a bit. It was a rich experience that I’ll share more about soon. Things are moving ahead on the peer support credentialing program. We have just about all of the content and tests done and need to submit the curriculum for review soon. Hopefully they will think we did a good job! 50 listeners have been approached to participate in a Carnegie Mellon University study. Their team created a very robust training program. The bot acts like a fake member and gives your real time feedback on how much trust you have built, real time feedback on the interventions, and scores on competencies. Shout out to @jenna; @annasilverberg, and @soulfullyabutterfly for giving CMU key and insightful feedback! We anticipate good results. When we are ready we’ll release the training to the entire listener population. It should be very good! I’ve also been doing more work on the Way of the River series. Trying to carve out time to make shorter and more helpful videos! I have a couple of essays that I’ll be publishing soon too. I’ll drop the links here and in the comments tomorrow. Feedback is very welcome! Main Post: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/glen-moriarty_in-2021-headspace-merged-with-ginger-at-share-7500232716207144960-na4Q/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAACeaMMBiMyoO9LlEjNcPrn7aNTWsHVNumI [https://www.linkedin.com/posts/glen-moriarty_in-2021-headspace-merged-with-ginger-at-share-7500232716207144960-na4Q/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAACeaMMBiMyoO9LlEjNcPrn7aNTWsHVNumI] Part I: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-ai-keep-disrupting-mental-health-introducing-fit-part-moriarty-lspif/ [https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-ai-keep-disrupting-mental-health-introducing-fit-part-moriarty-lspif/] Part II: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-vc-got-mental-health-wrong-understanding-fit-part-glen-moriarty-kbtkf/  [https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-vc-got-mental-health-wrong-understanding-fit-part-glen-moriarty-kbtkf/] And, as noted by H below, Hope stepped away from her role as Dean of the Academy in August as she pursued a new opportunity which did not allow her to continue with 7 Cups. With some changes in circumstances, she’ll now be returning to 7 Cups and resuming her role with the Academy. She’ll be picking up her Academy responsibilities again, so you can begin reaching out to her regarding the areas she previously supported. We’re grateful to have her continuing to be part of our community and team. I appreciate you all! Best, GlenM   H As you may know, our beloved Hope stepped away from her admin role in August to pursue a new opportunity that meant she could no longer continue with 7 Cups. We’re very happy to share that she’ll now be returning to her role with the Academy! Please feel free to reach out to Hope again regarding her usual Academy responsibilities. You can refer to this post [https://www.7cups.com/forum/siteupdates/General_2444/CommunityAnnouncementAdminRosterFarewelltoHope_388544/] for the updated list of Community Team contacts. Given my limited hours, I have been reaching out to the community for help with tasks. I am still in chats with folks and sorting assignments, but so far these are the wonderful community members who have stepped forward to take ownership of several key areas. In no particular order: @MeilleureAmie - Project Agent of the Community Beacon Campaign @Ivy229 - Academy Mentor Highlights @TovaCares76 - The Listener Community Room (LCR) Events Team @ChillingRain - Mentor Leader for the Verified Listener Program @AnnaSilverberg and @Rebekah have both stepped up to be more visible contacts to you on the site for safety and site questions, so feel free to message them The true strength of 7 Cups lies in our shared wisdom and willingness to support one another. I am endlessly grateful to everyone who is pitching in to share the load right now. Caring for our community is a collective effort, and it is a privilege to work alongside you. SoulfullyAButterfly The team has been planning regular monthly community events as well as new opportunities to connect in safe spaces such as group chats - we are excited to be launching a teen Huddle space soon!  At the moment, you are welcome to apply to the re-launched LGBTQ+ Huddle [https://www.7cups.com/forum/groupmod/7CupsHuddles_2394/Announcingournew247LGBTQHuddle_387278/] and can also apply to the upcoming next batch of the Wellness Accountability Huddle [https://www.7cups.com/forum/groupmod/7CupsHuddles_2394/AreYouReadytoTackleYourGoalsJointheWellnessAccountabilityHuddle_374041/]. Bookworm4 ATL and Safety reports were timely processed as per our community guidelines. Please note that you can reach out to me directly for any concerns or questions Ambassador Highlights: Jenna We’ve been working hard on Peer Support [https://www.7cups.com/forum/ListenerLearningJourney_149/PeerSupport_397/ApplyToBecomeAPeerSupportInfo_298837/] outreach for the past month, with 14 applying for the team. We are working hard toward our goals to better equip the team with support and increase our quality. We are also working toward changing the quota for the team to bring more engagement into the listener rooms and showing availability to listeners who join the room and need our support. Rebekah The Safety Team has seen a *record-breaking* amount of flags and members joining! Since the beginning of this year, we have onboarded 22 users to Safety Patrol, and have achieved 1,535 flags. That is 🌞 phenomenal 🌞 and I am so proud of the team for achieving this! As always, we are looking for new members to join Safety Patrol! Feel free to read our guide [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vBXLvo7gLMewIM1lhnZ2g8MXAnq4sMwxqXgxzTJCDos/edit#heading=h.xy53ihg3emsp], make sure you meet the requirements, and then apply ✅
GlenM profile picture
August 2026 Community Update!
by GlenM
Last post
 August 5th
...See more Dear Community, I hope you all are well! Things are good here. I’m off on a camping trip with my family today for the weekend. The whole crew will be together, which is a nice gift! We celebrated our 13th birthday! Here is a video [https://youtu.be/Zlfo74JTH4o]. Shout out to @soulfullyabutterfly and @Heather225 for doing such a great job with the festivities. And a big thank you to all who contributed and celebrated with us. It was a delight. Our birthday always feels like a holiday to me. One of my favorite days in the year. We also launched back us tool. Many of you have asked how you can support us. If you have resources, believe in our mission, and want to help, then please do! It would mean a lot to me. 7cups.com/back-us [http://7cups.com/back-us]. It will likely take a while, but with enough monthly supporters we will hopefully get to a place where this can help cover some of the bills. The free peer credentialing / certification program is also in process. We hope to finish up the curriculum in the next two weeks. I shared it with 2 people at SAMHSA and they were genuinely impressed. Our next step is to submit the curriculum and get official accreditation. One step at a time. We are getting there! Last, I did my attempt at a short Way of the River video [https://www.7cups.com/forum/siteupdates/GlensNookCommunity_547/ShortHelpfulVideos_386573/]. Many of you gave me very helpful feedback. Thank you! I need to make several shorter videos and optimize them. I’ll keep iterating until we get there. Have a lovely weekend! GlenM  H The Community Beacon has been a smashing success. We have seen so much enthusiasm for this campaign that I wanted to find a special way to recognize those who are serving at a high level. Beyond our All for One badge, I introduced the next tier of participation: the "Themed Week Trooper" badge as a milestone for 100 days of participation. Please swing back after this post to congratulate our first two awardees here. The Welcome Committee is the friendly front line of 7 Cups, dedicated to greeting new members, offering guidance, and helping newbies feel at home. We are currently looking for passionate individuals to fill two vital roles: 1. Team members (you must be a Verified Listener) [https://www.7cups.com/forum/listenerjourney/ListenerVerificationProject_1839/GetVerifiedFastEasy_348504/]: (Click here for details.) [https://www.7cups.com/forum/welcome/TheWelcomeCommitteeTeam_2670/CallingAllVerifiedListenersHelpWantedonthe7CupsWelcomeCommittee_332406/] 2. Project Agents: Help lead behind the scenes! Assist in running team operations and managing committee projects. If you're already a team member, even better! (PM me for details.) Listener Verifiers Project ring a bell? Are you a seasoned leader who has been on the Verified Listener Team before? I am looking specifically for people who have occupied the role of being a Verifier in recent years and can return to the team (even if only temporarily) to onboard and train new verifiers. My bat call post is here [https://www.7cups.com/forum/siteupdates/General_2444/BatCallWereyouontheListenerVerifiersTeamWeneedyou_386725/] if you want to respond there, or you can just PM me! I’d appreciate all the help to scale this team back up. Hope July’s primary focus was on completing the Certified Peer Support Specialist Program curriculum. During the month, development work was finalized for Modules 11 through 19, including the creation of post-module activities. These modules have now been published within the dedicated Peer Support Specialist sub-community. With this progress, the majority of the curriculum development phase is now complete. The remaining work involves finalizing assessments for the program, bringing us close to completing the first phase of development. Beyond this, work continued on maintaining ongoing operations across academy programs and supporting existing initiatives. SoulfullyAButterfly This month, we marked 7 Cups turning 13 by concluding several events as part of a 13 Day Countdown [https://www.7cups.com/forum/projectsandevents/7CupsTurns13_2738/13DayCountdownto7Cups13thBirthdayCelebrating13YearsofCareMasterPost_384571/] to the big day! You can find the annual birthday video filled with community wishes here [https://www.7cups.com/forum/projectsandevents/7CupsTurns13_2738/Happy13thBirthday7CupsCelebrating13YearsofCareCommunityVideo_385684/] We have also re-launched  the LGBTQ+ Huddle [https://www.7cups.com/forum/groupmod/7CupsHuddles_2394/Announcingournew247LGBTQHuddle_387278/] as a 24/7 space for safer support, and are looking forward to launching further similar spaces and events to help expand support options across the community.
GlenM profile picture
July 2026 Community Update!
by GlenM
Last post
 July 4th
...See more Dear Community, I hope you all are well! Short note from me this month because I want to point you all to our birthday events. Please join us in the celebrations! You can learn all about it here: https://www.7cups.com/forum/projectsandevents/7CupsTurns13_2738/13DayCountdownto7Cups13thBirthdayCelebrating13YearsofCareMasterPost_384571/ [https://www.7cups.com/forum/projectsandevents/7CupsTurns13_2738/13DayCountdownto7Cups13thBirthdayCelebrating13YearsofCareMasterPost_384571/] Please also check out a new tool we developed to help you see the level of stress you are carrying and how you can access care to better strengthen yourself through the process. I also wrote this post titled “You are Not Broken, You Have a Care Deficit [https://www.7cups.com/forum/siteupdates/GlensNookCommunity_547/YouArentBrokenYouHaveaCareDeficitIntroducingtheCareCalculator_384433/].” Check out the calculator here: 7cups.com/care-calculator P.S. Great conversation today on the AMA thread. Thank you all for participating! Read about it more here: https://www.7cups.com/forum/projectsandevents/7CupsTurns13_2738/AnswersNowPostedBirthdayAMAwithGlentheCommunityTeam_384506/ [https://www.7cups.com/forum/projectsandevents/7CupsTurns13_2738/AnswersNowPostedBirthdayAMAwithGlentheCommunityTeam_384506/] H As some of you may already know, my schedule has shifted recently and I have fewer online hours than before. If you missed the announcement or want to see the details regarding my availability and where to get support, you can read my full update post here: An update on my schedule and getting the support you need (June 2026). [https://www.7cups.com/forum/siteupdates/HsHangout_1970/AnupdateonmyscheduleandgettingthesupportyouneedJune2026_382330/] Because I don't have as much time right now, I am looking for some extra support to make sure our newcomers are looked after. If you are on the Welcome Committee (member or listener branch), or you’re a passionate listener or listener leader who enjoys the rooms, our new user exclusive room, the Welcome Lounge, could use community presence! The post is here [https://www.7cups.com/forum/welcome/TheWelcomeCommitteeTeam_2670/CallingallWelcomeCommitteeTeamsHelpneededintheWelcomeLoungeRoom_384763/]. Feel free to PM me, too! Badge access will be given after you have read a short best practices guide! The Community Beacon campaign [https://www.7cups.com/forum/generalsupport/CommunitySpace_2539/TheWeeklyBeaconSmallwaystohelpthecommunity_377289/?p=2] has been a smashing success! I feel like this campaign really embodies the spirit of support we provide here on 7 Cups, and I am so proud of everyone who has participated in any capacity! Every single act of kindness is a seed planted in our compassionate garden. I post a new week each Monday, and the recent week is here [https://www.7cups.com/forum/generalsupport/TheWeeklyBeaconCommunityHelpCampaign_2726/TheWeeklyBeaconSmallwaystohelpthecommunityJune29_385109/]. Thanks for everything! Hope June’s primary focus was advancing the Certified Peer Support Specialist Program. During the month, we began publishing the developed modules within a dedicated sub-community, which is currently badge-locked and will be made accessible once the program officially launches. We also made strong progress on development, with 10 out of 19 modules now completed for the program. Work is ongoing to finalize the remaining modules. Beyond this, the remainder of my work focused on maintaining ongoing operations across academy programs and supporting existing initiatives. SoulfullyAButterfly As Glen mentioned, we have rolled out several events as part of a countdown to 7 Cups turning 13. These have included live events - a big thank you to @Soulsings, @AmiablePeace77, @Suryansh and @CommunityModIris for helping me host these for both adults and teens. As we approach July 7, there are many pending events you can join. Other community activities include: 🧁 Submit Your Videos, Voice Messages, or Graphics Here! This is for our annual YouTube video [https://www.7cups.com/forum/projectsandevents/7CupsTurns13_2738/JoinUsinCelebrating7Cups13thBirthdaySubmitYourVideosVoiceMessagesorGraphicsHere_384569/] 🧁 13 for 13: Words That Define Us & Our Community [https://www.7cups.com/forum/projectsandevents/7CupsTurns13_2738/13for13WordsThatDefineUsOurCommunity_384451/] 🧁 7 Cups 13th Birthday Paper Plate Awards: Nominations Open!! [https://www.7cups.com/forum/projectsandevents/7CupsTurns13_2738/7Cups13thBirthdayPaperPlateAwardsNominationsOpen_384453/] 🧁 Color Your Season: A 7 Cups Birthday Challenge [https://www.7cups.com/forum/projectsandevents/7CupsTurns13_2738/ColorYourSeasonA7CupsBirthdayChallenge_384437/] 🧁 Support in Every Language: Share a Message of Care in Honor of 7 Cups Turning 13! [https://www.7cups.com/forum/projectsandevents/7CupsTurns13_2738/SupportinEveryLanguageShareaMessageofCareinHonorof7CupsTurning13_384511/] On a personal note, I’ve marked my 8th cupsversary with this poem reflection [https://www.7cups.com/forum/gratitude/CupversariesBirthdays_179/FromaSparkofHopetoaBeautifulTransformationSoulfullyAButterfly_383780/]. Looking forward to celebrating the 7 Cups birthday in July and what makes our community special! 
GlenM profile picture
June 2026 Community Update!
by GlenM
Last post
 June 3rd
...See more Dear Community, Happy Summer! June 1! We are already here yet again. I love the summer because the world quiets down a little bit, especially around August. I wrote a post titled Care is Electricity [https://www.7cups.com/forum/siteupdates/GlensNookCommunity_547/CareisElectricity_381633/]. You can also find a shorter LinkedIn version here [https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/care-electricity-glen-moriarty-4kmve/]. Thank you all for the comments and for sharing the post. The feedback has been encouraging. What we do here is very unique as we don’t really fit into any normal organization categories. The good news is we are getting better at describing it. The Care is Electricity post was another step in the right direction! We’ve also made some progress on the peer support certification front. We now have 6 or 7 of the modules completed and we are working hard to finish up the rest soon. We do have a meeting with SAMHSA in June to further help amplify the Academy [http://7cups.com/academy]. I’ve also been busy on the partnership front and hope to mention more on this front soon! Best, GlenM H Thanks to everyone who took part in May events in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, alongside Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) Awareness Month and Maternal Mental Health Month. Those who stepped in to write posts and host events have earned the exclusive MH Awareness Month badge! Congratulations @jesusredeemedme2425 @AiluraTheCat @TovaCares76 @YourCaringConfidant @SmoothOpertor55 @Angelanj Please visit this post [https://www.7cups.com/forum/projectsandevents/CommunityActivitiesEvents_1908/Mayon7CupsMentalHealthAwarenessMonthChallengingStigmas_380880/]after reading the update to check out the great content from your peers! The Community Beacon [https://www.7cups.com/forum/generalsupport/CommunitySpace_2539/TheWeeklyBeaconSmallwaystohelpthecommunity_377289/?p=2] campaign has been a smashing success! Engagement and morale are soaring, thanks to your weekly contributions. The encouraging and collaborative energy in these threads truly captures the essence of what 7 Cups is about. It’s like seeing our best efforts at the forefront, and I am so proud of how you show up for each other and for yourselves!! As an extra incentive, everyone who reaches 30 days of participation in this campaign earns the “All for one” badge. The first batch of winners can be congratulated in this post! [https://www.7cups.com/forum/generalsupport/TheWeeklyBeaconCommunityHelpCampaign_2726/CongratulationstoourAllforOneBadgeWinners_381094/]  If you’re new to the beacon, the weeks refresh every Thursday in this forum [https://www.7cups.com/forum/generalsupport/TheWeeklyBeaconCommunityHelpCampaign_2726/]! In last month’s update, I launched a special 7-week forum series aptly called The 7 Cups Values Series to explore our values [https://www.7cups.com/about/values.php] and what they mean to us. Each value has its own dedicated post. You can catch up on them by visiting the masterpost here [https://www.7cups.com/forum/welcome/7CupsofTeaMissionCoreValues_207/7CupsValuesSeriesWeek0PreJourneyOurMissionBuildingaBetterWorld_379125/] and let me know in the replies there which value you resonate with most! My availability will be changing for a while. All the contacts for coverage are outlined here. [https://www.7cups.com/forum/siteupdates/HsHangout_1970/AnupdateonmyscheduleandgettingthesupportyouneedJune2026_382330/] If you have any questions, my PMs are always open to you! Hope In May, we started work on building out the coursework for the Peer Support Specialist track. We’ve made solid progress so far, especially with developing the modules, and things are moving in the right direction. This is an important step toward eventually having our own Peer Support Specialist program in place. If you’re interested in learning more about this track, click here to learn more about it. [https://www.7cups.com/forum/siteupdates/MonthlyCommunityTeamUpdates_2602/May2026CommunityUpdate_380883/] We also had our first three listeners earn the Active Listener Recognition Certificates for reaching 10 or more Tulip nominations. A big congratulations to them. You can find out who they are and congratulate the rest of the nominees here. [https://www.7cups.com/forum/gratitude/AppreciationProgram_2310/TulipAwardeesMay2026_382573/] We also took some time to celebrate Eid al-Adha with the community. Even though Eid has wrapped up, you’re still welcome to join in and take part in the post here [https://www.7cups.com/forum/religion/Islam_2609/EidAlAdhaMubarak2026_382720/]. Aside from that, it’s mostly been steady maintenance work across the board. SoulfullyAButterfly We launched the Social Support Room group chat this month as a bridge between member community room and support room 24/7. After a trial and user feedback, this room is now badge locked and access is available to anyone who applies here [https://www.7cups.com/forum/groupmod/General_2446/AnnouncementNewTrialRoomSocialSupportRoom_381161/]. As part of the May Mental Health Awareness month events, one of our therapists, Ashley Flewellen (@AshleyNFlewellenLPC), held a workshop on Breaking the Stigma. We look forward to announcing new events and activities as we move forward to June.
GlenM profile picture
May 2026 Community Update!
by GlenM
Last post
 May 3rd
...See more Dear Community, I hope you all are well! May is already here. My middle daughter graduates from high school this month and is then off to school where her big brother is a senior. We’ll just have one left in the house! We’ve been busy at work on a number of fronts. One big focus for me lately has been the process of peer support and credentialing. Our training Academy [http://7cups.com/academy], under the excellent leadership of @hope already meets about 80% of the criteria needed for accreditation. However, we have to build and expand different modules to make sure we are meeting all of the requirements and learning objectives. We are working on these modules now. Certified peers can be seen as the middle layer in between volunteer listeners and licensed therapists. Many of you have already taken all of the peer support courses. The new curriculum will be much more robust. Look for more from us on this soon! I’ve also been working on a mental health certification for faith organizations. Religion plays a big part in most people’s lives. William James (one of the first psychologists) famously said: "To the psychologist the religious propensities of man must be at least as interesting as any other of the facts pertaining to his mental constitution." Many people turn to their religious or spiritual leaders before seeking mental health support. I think it’d be great if faith organizations could signal to people in pain in their membership and community - hey we are a safe place and we care for you!  I also wanted to take a moment to point to some beautiful, recent, posts if you haven’t seen them. I often open the app and read the feed before I go to bed. Talk about the warm fuzzies. Like a warm cup of tea for the heart! Check them out here: -Before and After 7 Cups: What Changed in You? -Appreciation to Listeners and Members -From Strangers to Support System [https://www.7cups.com/forum/welcome/Icebreakers_2095/FromStrangerstoSupportSystem_378316/?post=4169051] I hope you all have a lovely weekend! Best, GlenM ------------------------- H Thanks to everyone who took part in April’s events; the overarching theme was Volunteer Month, and there’s some excellent content written by our very own community members that I urge you to check out when you’re finished here. Here’s the link to April’s masterpost. [https://www.7cups.com/forum/projectsandevents/General_2421/Aprilon7CupsTheGiftofCaringHonoringYou_378579/] May is another crucially important month to 7 Cups: Mental Health Awareness Month. The lineup is (here) [https://www.7cups.com/forum/projectsandevents/CommunityActivitiesEvents_1908/Mayon7CupsMentalHealthAwarenessMonthChallengingStigmas_380880/], and you can earn the MH Awareness Month badge for contributing content!  Speaking of contributing, listeners, we are actively onboarding new hosts to open the Listener Community Room and provide a lighthearted space to hang out and play games. See how you can get involved by clicking on this post [https://www.7cups.com/forum/listenerjourney/General_2422/CallingAllListenersOperationListenerCommunityRoomRevival_376514/]. I'd been reflecting on the core, the heart, and the soul of 7 Cups, from the community to the foundation upon which we stand. There's a lot of 7 Cups lore that most who've come here in recent years may not be aware of. I launched a special 7-week forum series aptly called The 7 Cups Values Series to explore our values and what they mean to us. Each value has its own dedicated post that will be added to the bottom of the introductory series post linked here [https://www.7cups.com/forum/welcome/7CupsofTeaMissionCoreValues_207/7CupsValuesSeriesWeek0PreJourneyOurMissionBuildingaBetterWorld_379125/]. The Weekly Beacon Campaign invites help from the entire community in the form of everyday acts of participation to support one another. Get credit for what you’re already doing and earn the All for one badge! Join this week’s challenge here. [https://www.7cups.com/forum/generalsupport/TheWeeklyBeaconCommunityHelpCampaign_2726/TheWeeklyBeaconSmallwaystohelpthecommunityWeek7April26_380705/] ------------------------- Hope April has been a steady, behind-the-scenes kind of month. Work officially kicked off on the Peer Specialist Track, with early drafting and content development now underway. It’s still in progress, but things are moving forward. A big shoutout to @soulfullyabutterfly for putting in consistent work on shaping the content for this track. We also introduced a clearer breakdown of how volunteer hours are calculated. This is especially useful for listeners who need their hours verified for external requirements but aren’t part of an Academy program. The goal here is simple: reduce confusion and make expectations easier to understand so people can plan ahead. You can access the post here [https://www.7cups.com/forum/academy/ResourceCenter_2269/HowYour7CupsVolunteeringHoursAreCounted_380493/].  The Tulip Award also went through a major update. Milestone certificates are now being introduced for nominations, adding an extra layer of recognition along the way. The badge will still remain, but the Tulip counter is no longer limited to a single year. All nominations, from the time Tulip was launched, will now count cumulatively. More details are available in the full post. [https://www.7cups.com/forum/gratitude/AppreciationProgram_2310/TulipAwardsUpdateNewMilestonesRecognitionSystem_380520/] Lastly, we have also added new elective options to the Quality Listening Program (QLP) to better reflect the work listeners are already doing. The total number of electives required hasn’t changed, but there’s now more flexibility in how you complete them. This includes updated credit for topic-specific training guides and a new elective based on Tulip nominations. Check out the post for the full breakdown and details.  [https://www.7cups.com/forum/qlp/AnnouncementsandUpdates_2201/NewElectivesforQLPTrainees_380194/] ------------------------- SoulfullyAButterfly This month, we have been working behind the scenes to develop a peer support curriculum. Additionally, we will be launching our FC Mother partnership based training content to support maternal health in May in honor of Mother’s Day. We are also developing new growth paths based on faith-based interventions. One of our therapists, Ashley Flewellen (@AshleyNFlewellenLPC), held a workshop on the importance of self-care this month. You can read some insights and copies of activities that a participant documented here [https://www.7cups.com/forum/generalsupport/General_2440/IncredibleinsightsfromAshley_378648/].  Continuing our monthly events, expert workshops and activities, we are excited to launch several new closed group initiatives. This includes a Stress Management Huddle (a closed group), and an openly accessible Social Support Room. You can expect announcements for these initiatives soon. 
GlenM profile picture
April 2026 Community Update!
by GlenM
Last post
 April 7th
...See more Dear Community, I hope all is well! It is warming up here and already feels like summer. We’ve got a little extra time off this weekend. It has been very busy. I’m looking forward to hanging out with my family and unplugging for a bit! Quick updates on the training front. We are in the process of auditing all of our training content. @hope has been doing a great job. It seems like we have about 80% of what is needed to meet the peer support specialist curriculum. Peers are also credentialed by state. We are looking to start in Florida as they have the most stringent requirements. Lots of work here for us to do, but it is all very doable. I’ll keep you posted on our progress. Additionally, CMU has been working on a member / client simulation tool that provides robust and real time feedback. See screenshots below. We will also soon be releasing the conversation coach I mentioned last update.  I hope you all are enjoying the spring and the warmer weather! Best, Glen H This month, we explored the theme of Empowerment & Healing. Check out the masterpost of all the great content our community contributed here [https://www.7cups.com/forum/projectsandevents/CommunityActivitiesEvents_1908/7CupsinMarchEmpowermentHealing_376499/]. I’d also like to personally recommend checking out this thought provoking, sharing-and-learning series by Kiara @jesusredeemedme2425 on Things You Wish People Knew [https://www.7cups.com/forum/gratitude/General_2448/WishYouKnewMasterList_377137/]. <- Click this link to go to their master thread, and if you see anything not covered, feel free to suggest it to Kiara! I am very proud of her creativity and will be featuring these posts across our awareness events throughout the year! In exciting news, I have launched a site-wide initiative that invites everyone to participate and make a direct impact on one another. The Weekly Beacon is our new tradition where we share simple, small ways you can lend a hand around the community. The heart of 7 Cups has always been the people in it, and you do not need official badges, special training, or hours of free time to make a massive difference in someone else's day. We build this community together through everyday acts of kindness! Every day you reply to these weekly threads to let us know you completed one of the tasks, you earn a star. You can earn up to 7 each week for each day. Once you earn 30 stars, you will receive the exclusive "All for one" badge! These refresh each week, so subscribe to the General Suppor [https://www.7cups.com/forum/generalsupport/]t forum and pay attention to your notifications bell for each new week's post. We are on Week 2 [https://www.7cups.com/forum/generalsupport/TheWeeklyBeaconCommunityHelpCampaign_2726/TheWeeklyBeaconSmallwaystohelpthecommunityWeek2March22_377991/] right now. You’ve probably heard of our Way of the River series by now. You may have taken part in some of it or completed all of it, holding the exclusive badges of an experienced kyaker on the river of life. We have made an exclusive closed group chat to work through the series together and to bond over the shared themes. I would love to have you, no matter what familiarity you have with the series. We’re here to work through it together! Read about the meaningful culture we’re building here [https://www.7cups.com/forum/groupmod/7CupsHuddles_2394/IntroducingtheWayoftheRiverHuddle_377109/]. Listeners, we are regularly onboarding new hosts to open the Listener Community Room and provide a lighthearted space to hang out and play games. Please come congratulate our current hosts and see how you can get involved by clicking into this post [https://www.7cups.com/forum/listenerjourney/General_2422/TheMomentumKeepsGrowingLetsHearItForOurLCRHosts_378077/]. And remember, this community is built by you. 7 Cups thrives because of you, and all you do for each other. You are encouraged to make posts, lead conversations in the rooms, and take on leadership roles to grow into the best versions of yourself. We have so many opportunities, and some yet to be dreamt up! If you want to do anything here and need some help, be it finding your path or with a new idea,  my PMs are open, and I am your cheerleader! Thanks for playing for the 7 Cups team and making us winners every day on a global scale. Hope Hi everyone! Thank you to those who expressed interest in the Carnegie Mellon University research study. Most of the participant spots have already been filled, but you can still submit the form to join the waitlist [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdYElGLQoX6sWZ5jfuBKaHzVexr7M4ZUWbo2EuW8XfauH8sBQ/viewform?usp=preview] if you meet their criteria. The study is focused on improving listener training through “virtual patients” that simulate members with common mental health challenges, giving listeners a chance to practice skills and provide feedback. Please note that the participation criteria are set by the researchers, and they reserve the right to select participants based on their needs. The 7 Cups internship program continues to be popular, with universities partnering for accredited practicum placements and students joining individually. If your university is interested in partnering with 7 Cups, or you’re planning to do a placement here, please message me beforehand so expectations can be aligned.  Additionally, on the Academy front! We’re also focusing on recruiting leaders at both the mentor and mentor leader levels, so if you’re interested, please fill out the form [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScVqIemWcH8D2MY21jkQK_oClijrK368Jf7wog1SfZ8Wzzbbg/viewform?usp=preview]. Lastly, the community came together to celebrate Eid. You can view our Eid Mubarak [https://www.7cups.com/forum/religion/Islam_2609/EidMubarak2026_377527/] post here! SoulfullyAButterfly This month has been focused on lots of content building in relation to FC Mother with a growth path to be launched soon for supporters of maternal wellbeing. In relation to this partnership and consideration of our inclusive community, we have introduced a language inclusivity guideline [https://www.7cups.com/forum/siteupdates/CommunityGuidelines_2725/ForumGuidelineClarificationLanguageInclusivity_377922/] for the forums. In light of guideline clarification, we have also put out this guide [https://www.7cups.com/forum/siteupdates/General_2444/ForumGuidelineRefresherListenerBoundariesUtilizingMemberAccounts_377433/] regarding listener roles and boundaries on the forums. Ending the month on a high note, you can find our March Milestone Moments event recap and Word Cake here [https://www.7cups.com/forum/gratitude/CupversariesBirthdays_179/MarchMilestoneMomentsCongratulationsWordCake_378483/]. We’re truly honored to celebrate each and every one of your special moments!
GlenM profile picture
March 2026 Community Update!
by GlenM
Last post
 March 3rd
...See more Dear Community, I hope you all are well! Last update I said it looks like spring came early. We ended up getting 9 inches of snow! Most of my family is up in Massachusetts and they are saying that the snow is up to their waist. It feels like my childhood again. Thankfully things do seem to be warming up now. I’ll be making a more comprehensive post soon, but did want to share here that we are launching a partnership with fcmother.com [http://fcmother.com]. You can read more about it here [https://www.recordonline.com/press-release/story/33151/fc-mother-partners-with-the-worlds-largest-mental-health-community-7-cups-to-democratize-its-mothers-health-impact/]. The goal is to leverage football (soccer for US folks) to better support mothers and maternal health. I’m especially excited about this because it has the potential to be very innovative and generalize to other health issues and organizations. Also, I did a podcast the other day with Pinned2Purpose.com [http://pinned2purpose.com]. You can see the podcast here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKLY1htVJSk [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKLY1htVJSk]. The interviewer asked several good questions that helped me share more on the origins of 7 Cups.. If you take the time to listen to it, then please let me know what you think! We are also doing more research on peer certification. It is still very early, but I think this will end up being very good for us. We have volunteer listeners and we have therapists. Certified peers would be a middle layer of service and roles. I’ll post more on this soon as well. Thank you all for being a core part of the work we do here! ------------------------- H Thank you to everyone who took part in this month’s theme of Heart of Connection [https://www.7cups.com/forum/projectsandevents/CommunityActivitiesEvents_1908/7CupsinFebruaryTheHeartofConnection_374480/]. Special thanks to @Sunisshiningandsoareyou for writing a beautifully insightful series on self-love which I highly recommend checking out:  The Love Month Celebration [https://www.7cups.com/forum/gratitude/SelfExplorationSelfLove_178/TheLoveMonthCelebration_374326/]. March’s theme is Empowerment and Healing, with focues on Self-Harm Awareness Month (SIAD) & Women’s History Month. I would like people to write content for this, and I will feature your posts in the March lineup! If you’d like to get a head start, go for it. I will roll out the March event masterpost within the next day! We also hosted our Community Milestones event, honoring all birthdays and cupsversaries within February. Give them love here [https://www.7cups.com/forum/gratitude/General_2448/FebruaryMilestoneMomentsCongratulationsWordCupcake_376176/], and if you have a special day in March, click here to let us know [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1fedHkefrilL9zIU4W8Uo_Fmji0fBXQPjthXp5I74q0o/preview]. Newbies: we have some cool things just for you!  What is 7 Cups about? What do we offer? We answer these questions (here) [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1M53Nm5-pbtxx2_jKfXYgYzo3NgXxjNfMwfzVSRC1rZg/edit?tab=t.0]. For the listeners, here's a handy guide covering the basics and everything you need to know to get your footing as a listener (click here for the document) [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1J0P_a463RsOkBFmgE4hqMUPCyqD98MCZO_r8PAb4ERs/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.6zoipvarg5nu]. And here are quick tips for those nervous about taking your first chat (read here) [https://www.7cups.com/forum/listenerjourney/General_2422/QuicktipsImnewandImnervousaboutmyfirsttimelisteningtoamember_376046/]. There’s so much more happening and in the works, so I’ll ask you to please subscribe to Site Updates (this forum!) [https://www.7cups.com/forum/siteupdates/] and keep an eye on your notifications bell for community-wide alerts. As always, thank you for being the driving force behind 7 Cups. Our community thrives because you’re all out there tending to it and each other. Please keep engaging, starting new conversations, and creating content. Your daily participation is what makes this space possible. ------------------------- Hope It has been an eventful month! We talked about Deposits vs Withdrawals: How Discipline Buys Freedom [https://www.7cups.com/forum/siteupdates/HopesCorner_2162/DepositsvsWithdrawalsHowDisciplineBuysFreedom_375460/]. It may not feel intuitive, but structure and consistency are often what create real flexibility long term. Join the discussion to explore how this plays out in everyday life. We’ve also launched the Academy Mentor Activity Tracking Form [https://docs.google.com/forms/u/0/d/1LsUoRCpszzjQm74koxhb8HbDxT55qpdLQU7CueIRGZw/preview]. This quick 1–2 minute check-in is designed to improve transparency and support across mentors. It gives us clearer visibility on activity levels and provides one place to raise concerns. All Academy mentors are required to complete it before the 8th of each month, reporting on the previous month. The goal is straightforward: better insight, stronger support, and a smoother experience for our trainees. On the teen side, the 30-Minute Open Chats on Glimmers [https://www.7cups.com/forum/teens/TeenZoneCommunityTeam_590/New30MinuteOpenChatsonGlimmers_374995/]initiative is live. Teams and ATLs can now host 30-minute pop-ups to share wins and positive moments. No advance scheduling required. Hosts will receive cheers and, over time, a certificate for contributing. We’ll continue having one Glimmers post each month where you can share the good things that happened. You can still add your February highlights to the February post [https://www.7cups.com/forum/siteupdates/HopesCorner_2162/MonthlyGlimmersFebruary2026_374443/], and the March 2026 post is now up [https://www.7cups.com/forum/siteupdates/HopesCorner_2162/MonthlyGlimmersMarch2026_376361/] and ready for you to start sharing your March wins. The posts are open to both adults and teens.  Ramadan Mubarak to everyone observing. You’re welcome to share greetings and connect with fellow Muslims through our Ramadan post [https://www.7cups.com/forum/religion/Islam_2609/RamadanMubarak2026_375528/], and you can also share reminders or encouragement in the Islamic subforum [https://www.7cups.com/forum/religion/Islam_2609/]throughout the month. ------------------------- SoulfullyAButterfly This month, we have continued to nurture closed groups including the loneliness and wellness Huddles.  In light of the partnership with FC Mother, we have launched a separate community called Motherhood Support (FC Mother) [https://www.7cups.com/forum/motherhood/]. This community hub serves as a space to connect while building a team of supporters around mothers in different life stages. Alongside this, we are developing several educational and practical modules which will allow users to support mothers effectively. Notably, this training including forum usage will also be delivered in Spanish, which marks a unique opportunity on 7 Cups. We have also published a best practices guide [https://www.7cups.com/forum/siteupdates/HsHangout_1970/RespondingMeaningfullyinForumsABestPracticesGuide_375916/] on how to respond meaningfully in the forums to ensure support quality. Additionally, these group etiquette reminders [https://www.7cups.com/forum/groupmod/GroupSupportInformationandUpdates_822/GroupEtiquetteforanInclusiveSpace_375900/] are designed to keep our live spaces respectful and inclusive. As we move forward this year, we are planning many more events and closed group initiatives to further foster wellbeing in different ways. 
GlenM profile picture
February 2026 Community Update!
by GlenM
Last post
 February 3rd
...See more Dear Community, I hope you all are well! It has been very chilly here and we’ve even had a bunch of snow. My kids have missed 4 days of school. They are delighted. I love winter walks, but am looking forward to the warmth! Big shout out to all of the River goers! If you are interested in doing more depth-oriented work, please check out H’s links below! Also, we are working on a new update to listener quality that I think will be very interesting. You’ll soon be able to press a button to get feedback from Noni on how you did in a chat. She’ll give you feedback on 10 different competencies or skills. I think this will be very encouraging and helpful! Look for more on this soon. I very much appreciate you all! Best, Glen ------------------------- H We started the new year off strong with many events and exciting developments! We held our first Milestones Moment of 2026 and shared goals we’re aspiring to achieve. Even though the event is over, I’d still like you to share your 2026 goal(s) in this thread [https://www.7cups.com/forum/projectsandevents/General_2421/MilestoneMomentsSpecialGoalsEditionWednesdayJanuary21_372464/]. I also followed up on the event to ask how long you’ve been a part of the 7 Cups family and one word that describes 7 Cups to you. The words will be collected into a fun cloud at some point so please drop yours here [https://www.7cups.com/forum/games/CommunitySpace_2583/Whendidyoujoin7Cups_373578/]. For those curious about our newest therapeutic series, The Way of the River, I wrote a summary of it, how it benefited me, and how it could benefit you too! Click here to read it. [https://www.7cups.com/forum/generalsupport/General_2440/Stopfightingthecurrentandstartnavigatingit_373701/]  If you are feeling a little intimidated or not sure where to start, I recommend joining us in the exclusive WotR chatroom! We’re all happy to help guide you along the river from start to finish in this five-part reading and reflection series. Apply to join it here! [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfdUljhoiZW9Iwf-8NGit6kW_l4z_hwZ7PAfJxg8jcMHJJzXQ/viewform] We also debuted a brand new initiative for the listener side called the Listener Lounge [https://www.7cups.com/forum/listenerjourney/ListenerEvents_2292/IntroducingTheListenerLoungeOurFirstMonthlyGathering_372889/]. During the event, we will brainstorm words to represent the listener community every month. Please click here for details and to cast your vote! [https://www.7cups.com/forum/listenerjourney/ListenerEvents_2292/RecapOurVeryFirstListenerLoungePleaseVote_373899/] Last but not least, every Friday we host a special AMA orientation session for new users. Newbies, please click for more information [https://www.7cups.com/forum/welcome/General_2418/NewHereLetsFindYourPathTogetherNewbieWelcomeSession_372967/]and drop into the 24/7 Welcome Lounge chatroom anytime! ------------------------- Hope It’s been mostly business as usual this month, but we have a few updates to share. We now have several award programs where you get to help decide who earns badges and rewards. These are all ways to recognize and appreciate the hard work of our users. Check out the master post [https://www.7cups.com/forum/siteupdates/HopesCorner_2162/NominationsandReviewsAreOpenYourVoiceShapesWhoGetsRecognized_373941/] for details and submit your nominations to encourage and celebrate others. In the Quality Listening Program, we will be trialing an extended response window starting with the February 9, 2026 batch. Trainees will now be able to claim their seats by responding before the coming Friday after their start date. This gives a couple more days to notice the email and respond. All other programs will continue with the existing format. We have also launched Monthly Glimmers, a new initiative where you can share the big and small good things that happened each month. Each month there will be a post where you can add your glimmers, and we will keep a master post linking all of them. This is a way to reflect on positive moments, celebrate achievements, and spread encouragement within the community. The first glimmer post is already live here [https://www.7cups.com/forum/siteupdates/HopesCorner_2162/MonthlyGlimmersJanuary2026_374189/] ------------------------- SoulfullyAButterfly We started off the New Year with an amazing compilation of the community’s reflections of the past year and what words we will hold on to during 2026 - see the community’s 6th word “cup” results here [https://www.7cups.com/forum/siteupdates/SoulfullyAButterflysContentGarden_2136/2025and2026WordCloudActivityResults_373676/]! For the first time, our 2025 and 2026 words are the same: Hope!  We have also kicked off a community survey to understand the community’s feedback and support needs. Please consider participating here [https://www.7cups.com/forum/siteupdates/General_2444/TaketheCommunitySurveytoShareYourNeedsandFeedback_374198/]. 
GlenM profile picture
November 2025 Community Update!
by GlenM
Last post
 December 4th, 2025
...See more Dear Community, I hope you all are well! First, a big shout out to all the newbies joining us! It is great to have you all join us. On a related note, a big thank you to our welcoming committee and everyone else in the community that is helping our newest members feel welcome. This is great to see. Second, a gentle reminder to all of you to please take good care of yourselves. There are a lot of bugs going around. I personally know 4 people that have been hospitalized in the last month. It seems these bacterial infections are “hiding” and “colonizing” - evading the antibiotics - and then coming back with a vengeance. I’ve not really heard too much of this sort of thing happening often in the past. Please get plenty of sleep, take D3 and K2 supplements, and wash your hands often. Sorry for the PSA, but these recent signals have spooked me a bit so I am trying to be proactive and share with all the people that I care about.  Third, if you haven’t yet, please check out our Way of the River series [https://www.7cups.com/forum/siteupdates/GlensNookCommunity_547/IntroducingTheWayoftheRiverSeriesMasterpost_367734/]. We have 4 of the 5 parts live and will roll out the last part later this week.  ------------------------- H We believe that every milestone, big or small, deserves to be celebrated. For many of us, a birthday or an anniversary is more than just a date - it's a powerful reminder that we're still here, that we've overcome challenges, and that we're still going strong. Sometimes, these important days can feel quiet or go unnoticed. We want to change that by hosting Monthly Milestone Moments [https://www.7cups.com/forum/projectsandevents/CommunityActivitiesEvents_1908/IntroducingMilestoneMomentsOurNewMonthlyCelebration_367095/]. Stay tuned for this coming month’s dates and times! In our continued efforts to support new users, we have opened a room to our Newbies (first 30 days of the site) called the Welcome Lounge. Check out the official post here. [https://www.7cups.com/forum/welcome/WelcomeIntroductionsto7Cups_1163/IntroducingtheWelcomeLounge_365686/] If you are a leader interested in helping provide coverage for this 24/7 room, drop me a line! I am a firm believer in taking small, consistent steps to build momentum and develop (healthy) daily habits. I have been tinkering with an initiative (known as the One Small Step challenge [https://www.7cups.com/forum/gratitude/General_2448/TheOneSmallStepWeeklyChallengeWhatsYourGoal_365435/]) to set weekly goals and meet at the end of each week as a means of celebration and accountability. It's shown such potential that we have decided to elevate it to make it a 24/7 check in system! Sign up for the Wellness Accountability Huddle  [https://www.7cups.com/forum/groupmod/7CupsHuddles_2394/ReLaunchingTheWellnessAccountabilityHuddle_368118/]and commit to your goals long-term! Along that same line of thinking, I encourage you all to join the fun in this daily thread: Today I learned… [https://www.7cups.com/forum/community/General_2530/OnenewthingIvelearnedtodayDailysharingthread_367089/] As a large community family, with immense global knowledge and wisdom from all walks of life, we have the power to really help each other improve our lives, so I urge you to please keep on extending yourself to others with an open heart and mind.  When you’re finished reading this update, head over to this post to hear the latest from our esteemed Ambassador Team: Ambassador Update [https://www.7cups.com/forum/siteupdates/General_2444/AmbassadorTeamUpdateQ4October2025_366647/] And if you’ve seen a Community Mod doing good out in our rooms, please give them some well-deserved love in this new thread [https://www.7cups.com/forum/groupmod/CommunityModeratorsLounge_2143/CommunityModeratorRecognitionThread_367822/]. ------------------------- Hope This month, a big focus has been on supporting new mentors in trial for both the Quality Listening Program (QLP) and the Leadership Development Program (LDP). This has included helping with task assignments, going over onboarding materials, and making processes a bit smoother for new mentors as they settle in. Collaboration with Suryansh, our Group Support Ambassador, has helped bring more recognition to group support participants. The Group Support Monthly Review Highlights initiative was launched, modeled after the mentor monthly review highlights. Now, anyone in the group support can be recognized for their positive contributions each month. Shoutout to @Suryansh for taking the lead here! Find more about the system and submit a nomination here! [https://www.7cups.com/forum/groupmod/General_2446/ExcitingUpdatestoGroupSupportFeedbackRecognition_367287/] Aside from these highlights, things have continued as usual with ongoing Academy programs, keeping operations running smoothly. ------------------------- SoulfullyAButterfly This month, we launched the Welcome Lounge to support newbie users (members and listeners). This space is a great way to meet other newbies and ask any questions about the site. We’ve been hosting different discussions in this space to help orient newbies and improve the overall newbie 7 Cups experience. We also revived community events with the goal of a monthly event combining different events. This month, we honored mental health day and other important themes via Anchors of Support [https://www.7cups.com/forum/projectsandevents/CommunityActivitiesEvents_1908/October2025EventAnchorsofSupportAccessAwarenessandAction_366214/], the October event, which is now concluding with Halloween related activities alongside end of the month reflections. Supporting Glen’s Way of the River series [https://www.7cups.com/forum/siteupdates/GlensNookCommunity_547/IntroducingTheWayoftheRiverSeriesMasterpost_367734/], we have created a closed group chat where participants exploring this series can chat and explore concepts together. Similarly, we will be relaunching the Wellness Accountability closed/private group chat for everyone working on goals to support one another and get long-lasting motivation.
GlenM profile picture
December 2025 Community Update!
by GlenM
Last post
 December 3rd, 2025
...See more Dear Community, I hope you all are well! Things are good here. It has been much colder lately. We also had a nice Thanksgiving. My big kids were home from college so it was great to see them. We will be heading up north for the holidays in less than 3 weeks. December flies by!  A big shout out to our leaders who have been leading all of these real-time events and also helping with accompanying growth paths (hat tip to @annasilverberg for the new growth path on bullying). I enjoyed our milestone celebration, caught the tail end of Graham’s session, and have heard that the loneliness huddle is rocking. One thing I love about Cupsgiving or any of the other live events we do is that you feel deeply nourished during and after them. They feel like little holiday bursts to me. I can see that in others too. In the recent past, more live events is what community members have shared with me that they’d like to see. I am very happy we are now delivering! The word for this warm fuzzy feeling is moral elevation [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elevation_(emotion)]. I think this captures much of what we do here. If interested, do a little reading on this and let me know what you think! Lastly, I am very thankful for all of you! Thank you for making our community warm, connected, and kind! H As part of our Seasons of Support (see SoulfullyAButterfly’s section below!) celebrations, I invite you all to help us build a Gratitude Wall by sharing something, or someone, you’re grateful for (here) [https://www.7cups.com/forum/projectsandevents/CommunityActivitiesEvents_1908/SeasonsofSupportBuildOurGratitudeWall_369725/]. Did a specific member support you in a listener chat? Did you discover a new song that lifted your mood? Did you manage to get out of bed on a really hard day? Did you see a really nice sunset? Come lay down some bricks! We had our first milestones moments event [https://www.7cups.com/forum/projectsandevents/CommunityActivitiesEvents_1908/IntroducingMilestoneMomentsOurNewMonthlyCelebration_367095/] on the adult side, and the reception was so good that we will be locking this in as a monthly fixture to celebrate birthdays and cupsversaries. Check out the post I linked for details and the form to submit your special day, and stay tuned to your notifications for the next one! And for teen side, we’ll be highlighting you in the forums! Be sure to submit your birthday or cupsday if it’s coming up to the form in this post [https://www.7cups.com/forum/projectsandevents/CommunityActivitiesEvents_1908/TeenMilestoneMomentsCelebratingYourSpecialDays_369381/]. Have you checked out our Way of the River series yet? This series represents core values within our community and teachings that are fundamental to our understanding of ourselves and our impact on each other, and broadly the world. I highly highly recommend making this series a personal development goal of yours this month! I promise you’ll learn some very interesting things. Set your course on the river here [https://www.7cups.com/forum/siteupdates/GlensNookCommunity_547/IntroducingTheWayoftheRiverSeriesMasterpost_367734/]! And if you’re confused about anything or need some help, ping me! Happy Holidays and warmest wishes to you all, however you celebrate! Should you find yourself in need of company, our community stands ready to support you. It is our privilege to serve as your extended family, offering you a space of genuine connection and enduring comfort! Hope This month, we kicked off a new teen forum series called Just Wondering. It’s a fun, multi-part series with prompts for teens to share what’s been on their minds. So far, we’ve covered random thoughts, things that “live rent-free” in your head, and moments that caught your attention. There will be six prompts in total, and all teens are welcome to join here [https://www.7cups.com/forum/teens/TeenZoneCommunityTeam_590/JustWonderingSeries_368808/]. We also had an open chat for the series and two chats on Three Good Things, where teens shared positive moments from the past week. Our ongoing list of good things is now at 140 entries, and you can add yours here [https://www.7cups.com/forum/teens/TeenZoneCommunityTeam_590/HeresaListofGoodThingsThatHappenedThisWeekWhatsYours_356544/] Carnegie Mellon University research recruitment is still going. Thanks to everyone who joined in. Most slots for the newbie listener category have been filled, but you can join the waiting list if you are a new listener are eligible as per the requirements listed here.  [https://docs.google.com/forms/u/0/d/1oh1NBijgkvo-Q9JVqXZbizIxJ1hOSiNNhOX1t8llO8E/preview] The rest of the month focused on keeping things running smoothly, including recognition programs and onboarding of trainees. Lastly, the mentor leader application is now merged with the Academy mentor application so that you can apply for either role with the same form. Apply to be a mentor or mentor leader with 7 Cups Academy here.  [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf2XnrHWY9kCWIuRyfrEyODlTnHTJOnk0HQ22orLGRneCorVg/viewform] SoulfullyAButterfly This month, we marked Cupsgiving via the Cupsgiving 2025: Seasons of Support [https://www.7cups.com/forum/projectsandevents/CommunityActivitiesEvents_1908/Cupsgiving2025SeasonsofSupportNovemberMasterpost_368771/] event, with a variety of themes including kindness, support in action and anti-bullying awareness and support, a special therapist-led wellness workshop for International Men’s Day, and a balanced approach to Thanksgiving as a time of gratitude as well as awareness of the indigenous history behind this holiday. Shoutout to @Heather225 and @Suryansh for helping me organize this event with a mix of activities on the forums and groups.  We’ve also launched the Loneliness Huddle, a closed group open 24/7 for those who struggle with loneliness and the holidays. We look forward to creating more events and spaces where everyone can find connection and support.
GlenM profile picture
October 2025 Community Update!
by GlenM
Last post
 October 16th, 2025
...See more Dear Community, I hope all is well! Fall is here. The trees are just starting to turn. Before we know it, it’ll be Thanksgiving and then the holidays. This season always moves quickly for me. Speaking of seasons, we have entered into a season of refining things on 7 Cups. This basically means that we are digging deeper and crafting things in better ways. You might remember that we overhauled onboarding (the steps a person goes through when they join 7 Cups). We have been testing several versions and making some level of progress. Additionally, Noni has been another refinement project. This version is significantly better than the last version. Thank you all for the feedback and testing. Group is also going through an updating process as well. Our goal is to tighten up all aspects of the site/app. It has been a labor of love! H Welcome to my favorite month! Here in the US, it’s all about autumn festivities, Halloween, and there’s a kind of magic in the air that invigorates my spirit. What month gets you energized? As always, lots going on in Cups land! Firstly, ASilentObserver has transitioned out of the role of Community Manager. It's hard to overstate what a positive impact he's had on our community. His kindness, compassion, and belief in others have been an inspiration to us all. He spearheaded new initiatives and led group support to new heights, and for that, we are incredibly grateful. His presence will be deeply missed. You can send him some love in his farewell post here [https://www.7cups.com/forum/groupmod/General_2446/ThankyouCommunity_364423/]. For updated points of contact, refer to this link here [https://www.7cups.com/forum/groupmod/General_2446/GroupSupportAdminTeamTransitionUpdatedPointsofContact_365424/]. [https://www.7cups.com/forum/groupmod/General_2446/GroupSupportAdminTeamTransitionUpdatedPointsofContact_365424/] In further Groups news, we have revived the Positivity Corner, a pop-up room for lighthearted chats, games, and mutual support! To keep this positive space going, we're looking for hosts. If you're interested in making the Positivity Corner more active and earning some cheers along the way, consider signing up to host a session (info here) [https://www.7cups.com/forum/groupmod/PopUpGroupDiscussions_2110/ReturnofPositivityCornerMoreAccessibleThanEverCallforHosts_363229/]. I have started a new weekly small steps activity. At the beginning of each week, you put down one goal you’re aiming to accomplish, and at the end of the week, we get together to celebrate. Through this accountability and wellness initiative, I hope to see us all make big gains and build up momentum to be more productive over time! Check out the details and make a commitment to yourself! [https://www.7cups.com/forum/motivation/GoalsandAccomplishments_653/TheOneSmallStepWeeklyChallengeWhatsYourGoal_365435/] Lastly, we are seeking passionate verified listeners to serve as the warm, guiding presence for our newest members. This is a chance to make a lasting and positive impact and help us build a stronger community. If this sounds like you, we'd love for you to apply [https://www.7cups.com/forum/welcome/TheWelcomeCommitteeTeam_2670/CallingAllVerifiedListenersHelpWantedonthe7CupsWelcomeCommittee_332406/]. Hope In September, the Academy introduced a key change to the Quality Listening Program. Instead of relying on assigned mentors, we launched a new Support Request Form [https://www.7cups.com/forum/qlp/AnnouncementsandUpdates_2201/QLPSupportUpdateNoMoreOnetoOneMentorAssignments_365152/]. This shift is designed to improve response times, ensure mentor breaks do not disrupt trainee support, and give us better visibility into recurring challenges. These insights will help us strengthen the program moving forward. I noticed that many of our users are struggling with focus/low energy levels, so I created a post on The Hidden Reason You Can’t Focus (And What to Do About It) [https://www.7cups.com/forum/siteupdates/HopesCorner_2162/TheHiddenReasonYouCantFocusAndWhattoDoAboutIt_364934/]. This post explores dopamine stacking and dopamine loading. These two concepts can shed light on why focus feels so elusive. We also shared a post on ways to appreciate our teens, listeners, and Academy personnel. It includes ideas and a space to submit your nominations, so we encourage you to recognize someone who has made a difference here [https://www.7cups.com/forum/siteupdates/HopesCorner_2162/BetheReasonSomeoneGetsRecognizedTakesonlyaminute_365071/] Finally, the Carnegie Mellon University Human-Computer Interaction Institute has wrapped up recruitment for its recent study. If you submitted an interest form, you should have received an email update. Thank you again to everyone who expressed interest.  SoulfullyAButterfly This month, we launched Noni in Beta Mode [https://www.7cups.com/forum/siteupdates/GlensNookCommunity_547/NoniisBack_364845/] and have included a feedback form. We will be rolling out further updates to Noni and the chat presentation after learning from user experiences. Thank you to everyone who has submitted feedback after trying Noni! We are also working on a Newbie Support Room, to welcome new members and listeners and support their journey on 7 Cups.  Additionally, we are excited to bring back events and are looking forward to celebrating a big event in light of October hosting World Mental Health Day and more. Stay tuned for more information on how to get involved! 
GlenM profile picture
September 2025 Community Update!
by GlenM
Last post
 September 3rd, 2025
...See more Dear Community, It is already September! The fall always goes so quickly for me. I blink and the holidays are here. We think - and hope! - that we finally squashed the android bug. That was a particularly stubborn one. Thanks again for all of the help on that front. I mentioned last month that Noni would be back in action soon. As often happens in tech, we experienced some delays. I’m now nearly certain that she’ll be live early next week. This next version is very strong. We have also been working on a number of new training initiatives that I’ll be able to share soon. Thank you all for all that you do! I’m grateful for each and every one of you! H Happy September, everyone! Lots of different stuff from me this past month: Some folks have asked why we enforce zero tolerance when it comes to offsite contact. We define offsite contact as asking for or sharing personal contact information with anyone you meet on 7 Cups. I have outlined why it’s critical not to in this post [https://www.7cups.com/forum/safe7cups/Part2IntroductionsQuestionsAnswersandGeneralConversations_36/TheOffsiteContactRuleandHowItProtectsYou_361475/]. Earlier this month I pitched the idea of a Cupsversary team designed to share and celebrate the anniversaries of our Cups family members. Check out this thread of Cupsversary cheer [https://www.7cups.com/forum/gratitude/CupversariesBirthdays_179/CelebrateOurLatestCupsversariesAugust_361970/], and if you’d like to help post these, we’re looking for a leader and team members! This could potentially be an appreciation program to step in for the discontinued PAT, so if you want to see this initiative flourish, let me know! Do you want to learn about 7 Cups leadership and if it's for you? The Rising Star Program is an outreach effort designed to educate you about various roles and help you find your path to making a deeper impact on our community. Check out the details here and how you sign yourself up or nominate someone else you feel has potential to be a leader (HERE) [https://www.7cups.com/forum/siteupdates/EventsDiscussions_2666/SpotlightPotentialtheRisingStarProgramRelaunched_361891/]. Speaking of leadership, read about how volunteering as a leader can benefit you personally and professionally [https://www.7cups.com/forum/siteupdates/General_2444/WhyJoiningLeadershipon7CupsIsaGameChanger_361397/]. “But I’m a member. Do I count?” Yes, you do! Read up on the innate power you hold to be awesome and support our community here [https://www.7cups.com/forum/generalsupport/General_2440/Membersdidyouknowyoucanleadtoo_361558/]! Hope In August, the Carnegie Mellon University Human-Computer Interaction Institute continued its listener training study and recruited more participants. Thank you to everyone who expressed interest. Updates on submitted forms will be shared by the end of this week. Please note that the researchers specify the criteria for participants and have the final say on who is included. On the Academy side, our Content Development and Marketing program is on a temporary hold so we can focus on supporting current trainees and making needed improvements. The main CDM post [https://www.7cups.com/forum/ContentVolunteerTeam_198/CDMAnnouncementsandUpdates_2194/ContentDevelopmentandMarketingProgram2024_325507/] will be updated once the program resumes. In leadership news, we welcomed new mentors to the Academy team and invite you to join us in congratulating them [https://www.7cups.com/forum/academy/AcademyTeam_2313/NewAcademyMentorsAugust2025_362032/]. Otherwise, it has been steady maintenance this month with several highlights to celebrate, including: * Teen Awards [https://www.7cups.com/forum/teens/TeenZoneCommunityTeam_590/TeenAwardsAugust2025_360847/] * Academy Awards [https://www.7cups.com/forum/academy/] * Mentor Review Highlights [https://www.7cups.com/forum/academy/AcademyTeam_2313/AcademyMentorMonthlyReviewHighlightsAugust2025_362043/] * Tulips [https://www.7cups.com/forum/gratitude/General_2448/TulipAwardeesAugust2025_360079/] Obs In August, we introduced the Light and Lift initiative to support members experiencing depression [https://www.7cups.com/forum/depression/General_2427/DepressionSupportChatLightLiftInitiativeLaunch_360124/]. The goal is to make the Depression support chat active and engaging so that everyone joining in feels empowered to share and be heard, and feels comfortable and encouraged. The start is slow, but we do need more help and support. If you are interested in supporting this initiative or know someone who probably likes to, please step up and join the Comfort Bringers team.  On the Vibe Check initiative, thanks to our Vibe Setters for their thoughtful and compassionate contributions to keep the momentum going, and in August almost gave 97 hours of vibe setting in Member Community Chat. We are grateful to them, and we will continue to build the community there. If you like to be part of the Vibe Setting team, please do apply here [https://www.7cups.com/forum/groupmod/General_2446/MemberCommunityChatVibeCheckInitiativeLaunch_358599/]!  In the Verified Listener Program [https://www.7cups.com/forum/listenerjourney/ListenerVerificationProject_1839/GetVerifiedFastEasy_348504/]news, a huge shout-out to the Verifier Team for successfully processing 106 verification applications. 106 isn't just any number, but a testament to the team’s commitment to growth and excellence in the listener quality. We appreciate all listeners who took their time to step up and join the Verified Listener community to listen and help others in need, and spread kindness.  On the leadership front, 7 room supporters and 3 chatroom moderators joined the Group Support team, while 3 verifiers joined the Listener Verification team. Grateful to all of them for their interest and willingness to support the teams and community mission to scale the compassion for everyone.  SoulfullyAButterfly This month, we have continued to work on Android app updates and the dev team fixed some key challenges which users were facing. We thank everyone who was involved in the testing and reporting process. To continue to uplift helpful content, we will be announcing a submission form for featured feed and alert based requests and will be featuring different areas of our communities and site to support everyone's great work.  In addition, we have posted some reminders about helpful usage of AI - 7 Cups believes in human + AI collaboration and is keen to have our users use AI as a support tool [https://www.7cups.com/forum/siteupdates/General_2444/RealPeopleRealSupportPatienceGoodIntentandAI_362705/] rather than a substitute.  Speaking of AI, we are excited to release the latest version of Noni soon and appreciate everyone’s patience while the team works on updates.

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Community Leaders
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@Heather225
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@SoulfullyAButterfly
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