Circles

What Circles Is

Circles is an anonymous, audio-based peer support app designed specifically for people navigating narcissistic abuse and divorce. The platform hosts over 500 group sessions weekly, making it the largest community for these specific challenges. The app has attracted over 160,000 users seeking connection and support. All sessions are live audio, and participation is anonymous by default, with members identified only by their first name. The platform is accessible from any device with internet connection and can be used at home, at work, or anywhere else.

How the Platform Works and What You Get

Circles operates on unlimited access, meaning members can join as many group sessions as they want throughout the day. Sessions are professionally led by facilitators with various credentials and experience in the areas of narcissistic abuse and divorce recovery. The platform offers two primary support tracks: one focused on divorce and breakup, and one focused on narcissistic abuse. Sessions are topic-specific, meaning members can choose groups aligned with their particular struggles and the specific advice or support they seek.

When someone signs up, Circles helps them define their challenge and the emotions connected to it. Members can then join sessions based on their interests, with no pressure to speak on their first session or even early sessions. Participants can listen anonymously as long as they want before contributing, removing the pressure to disclose or perform. This design acknowledges that some people need time to observe and build trust within a community before speaking.

Sessions are live and audio-only, creating a more intimate experience than text-based support while maintaining anonymity better than video groups. The audio format allows members to connect while doing other tasks or from private spaces where video would not be practical. Members join available sessions throughout the day, accessing support whenever they need it rather than waiting for scheduled therapy appointments or following a rigid weekly schedule.

Circles emphasizes the networking aspect of peer support. Beyond the live sessions, the platform allows members to explore the community and connect with others going through similar challenges. The company positions this as distinct from traditional therapy: whereas therapy typically involves one weekly session focused on your thoughts, with a therapist whose personality fit is unpredictable, Circles offers unlimited sessions with topics that vary each session, personalized group matching, flexible timing to join when needed, and the ability to build actual relationships with others in similar situations.

The facilitators guiding sessions have various credentials and backgrounds. Facilitators listed include people with master's degrees in psychology, master's degrees in couples and marital therapy, master's degrees in social work, certifications in crisis intervention, certifications in divorce coaching, and expertise as narcissistic abuse specialists and recovery coaches. Ratings and session counts are visible for each facilitator, with most showing ratings between 4.7 and 4.9, and session counts ranging from 122 to 815 sessions led. This transparency allows members to choose facilitators based on experience and feedback.

Reach, Membership, and Topics Covered

Circles has over 160,000 members and hosts 500+ weekly sessions, making it the self-described "#1 in narcissistic abuse and divorce support." The platform covers divorce and breakup support as well as narcissistic abuse support. The company claims "proven track record and extensive expertise" with a "focus on narcissistic abuse and divorce support" that has led to "an effective format that tackles your challenges efficiently." Members report improvements in well-being in connection with consistent session attendance, and over 150,000 people have "felt the difference" according to the company.

The app emphasizes specific benefits of its community approach: authentic support from real people with real experiences, building resilience through facing emotions and finding strength to continue, a safe environment to freely express feelings, personal insights into how behaviors and thoughts impact mental health, and powerful strategies to enhance mental wellbeing and improve relationships. These descriptions focus on peer support and community rather than professional clinical treatment.

The platform has been featured in leading media outlets and has recommendations from mental health leaders, including Patrick J. Kennedy, former U.S. Congressman, and Guy Winch, a psychologist, author, and keynote speaker.

What Circles Does Not Say

Circles does not publish pricing on its main website, though promotional offers are available: a $50 off offer and a Black Friday promotion for 20% off with code BF24. Beyond these promotions, standard pricing is not disclosed online. Members must sign up to learn ongoing subscription costs. The company does not specify the cost of each level of access or whether certain features require paid upgrades.

The app does not detail its clinical approach or whether it is based on specific therapeutic modalities. Sessions are described as peer-led and professionally facilitated but without explanation of what training or clinical model the facilitators use. There is no discussion of whether Circles complements therapy or can substitute for it. The platform does not specify session length, group size, or how groups are formed beyond "matching" language.

Circles does not address insurance coverage or whether any portion of membership costs might be covered by health insurance. The app does not specify whether it includes crisis intervention beyond the general peer support, or how urgent needs are handled. The company does not publish research or outcome studies on the effectiveness of its platform, though it references members' self-reported improvement in well-being. Professional credentials are listed for individual facilitators but not aggregated, so the overall professional makeup of the facilitator pool is unclear.

Who It Fits and Who It Does Not

Circles is designed for adults navigating narcissistic abuse or going through divorce or breakup. Someone who has left a narcissistic relationship and is processing the emotional aftermath can find community with others in the same situation. Someone in the early stages of recognizing a relationship as abusive can listen to others' experiences anonymously before deciding whether to share their own. Someone in active divorce proceedings seeking practical and emotional support can access group discussions tailored to the divorce process. Someone isolated by abuse who needs connection and validation can access hundreds of sessions weekly without leaving home.

Someone preferring anonymity over therapy will find Circles' anonymous audio model less exposing than in-person group therapy or individual therapy. Someone needing support outside normal business hours can join sessions anytime, making it accessible for different schedules. Someone skeptical of therapy or traditional mental health treatment but open to peer support may find this community-focused model appealing. Members of the LGBTQIA+ community will find peer groups that include diverse relationship experiences.

Circles is not a substitute for crisis intervention if someone is in danger; while the platform offers support groups for people processing abuse, it is not designed to handle active danger or safety planning for someone currently in an abusive relationship. Someone needing psychiatric medication or diagnosis is not the right fit, as Circles is peer support, not clinical treatment. Someone preferring one-on-one professional therapy to group formats may find groups uncomfortable. Someone who cannot use audio or needs captioning should verify accessibility before joining. Someone dealing with acute suicidal thoughts or severe mental health crisis needs crisis-line support or emergency services, not a peer support app. The platform focuses specifically on narcissistic abuse and divorce, so someone dealing with other relationship issues or mental health concerns would need to verify whether their situation fits the topics offered.