This is the room update feedback spot
Hi there-
If you have positive or critical feedback about last week's room change, this is the place to post it. We will respond to feedback and questions that are professional and kind as best we can and with the info we have.
As such, complaining or providing feedback in the rooms will no longer be acceptable. The rooms are for support and support programming and not about site feedback. This is also the forum area for feedback. Moving forward everyone will be directed here if you would like to discuss room updates.
The paid mods, the ambassadors, and anyone else in the community did not make this room decision. It is inappropriate and unfair to take out your frustrations on them. This room plan has been in the planning stages for most of the year. Many options and ideas were considered, many staff teams were involved. Based on the existing site and on the needs of the community (safety, focus on support, etc) this is the plan that was moved forward. Do not take your frustrations out on volunteers and on the mods.
To everyone who is accepting of this change thank you. We appreciate the messages and feedback of support. Especially from those who aren't sure about the change but are willing to give it a try.
And to those of you who are unhappy about it, we hear you. We know it was sudden and a large scale change. Please give it a chance knowing we are focused on improving the long term experiences here.
Enough from me, post your feedback below!
I've said everything I can say in the other threads about this but I am deeply concerned that this was planned for an entire year and yet we received no warning about it whatsoever.
If I had any faith left in 7Cups, learning that is the moment it was wiped away forever.
I'll stick around for a little bit but I am seriously considering leaving this site for good now.
I would like to start off saying that any opinions shared here are those of mine and with others I have talked with. I understand your experience with the current situation might be different and respect that.
With that out of the way let me begin with
I think the goal of making room support more safe is a goal we should work towards, we should have a supportive and safe area for all that use group support and that includes listeners and members.
Saying that the current path that has been taken in my mind has been rough.
With the current two rooms, I have sat back and watched what has been happening and this is what I have observed.
The rooms are way over clustered and people coming in for support are finding it hard to get support as there messages are very quickly pushed up to other messages.
People coming in the rooms for all different kind of support and it is very hard to try cater to everyone coming in as there is way to many topics.
I understood the reasoning for this was to always to have a mod in the room. I dont want to burst your bubble but I have been in the rooms for hours at a time with no community mod in sight. ( understand I am not here to be negative but I am just saying what I have seen).
Now moving on to having to have 1-1 conversations with a listener before being able to go into group chat. Group support sometimes for members coming is the only way they feel comfortable talking about what they came for . Taking this away from the site had pushed many new comers into not getting the support they need. I had been in group support many times in the past where new members came and got the support they needed in group support
I know this was done to stop people creating new accounts once been muted but in the process made it hard for people coming genuinely for group support.
This moves me on to my biggest concern about this all.
Change. Change is good ! .... when done correctly and I personally think the way this change was made , made it really hard for members to transition being in a vulnerable position to begin with and then something so major taking place would of put many people at risk and this is what frustrates me the most of all this. Is the members are not being listened to.
With all that out of the way what can be done now to fix this.
The most important and what we are here to do is listen. LISTEN to the community !!! Please. The community needs to be able to have a voice here. This is what we are here for. Going off the last post I seen many members just being shrugged off to what has happened.
Be transparent. Hiding such a major change to the site and implementing within a few hours of announcing is very risky and can put members at risk.
I appreciate anyone taking the time to read this and hope my input has some value.
Thanks
@Peter1447
Yes, thank you. I agree with all you've just said. Unfortunately its also being said on many threads but no appropriate answers as of yet, and no appologies either. I did finally get only one repremand responce when i used the word "idiots" it was hard not to use this word after many constructive post have been ignored.
@humorousDay8793
You only get a reply when you fanatically agree with the change.
@Gyda
SOOOO DAM SAD
@Peter1447
Peter, the only thing they care about is statistics.. Thats one way to run a business i guess, but they arent selling bagels here, nor is this a chicken factory farm.. This isnt a user friendly way of dealing with the problem, but they already crapped the bed so might as well make a poop angel on the white sheets.
They've had the mute button for ages and thats usually enough to deal with the trolls even if they make new accounts.. You see the best solution was here all along, we didnt need checkpoints, barbed wire, babysitters.. Just for users to take responsibility for what they want to see and who they want to chat with.. Most importantly to realize that no place is truly safe..
Also what is safe anyways ? Safe by whose definition ? There are parents who dont let their children play in a plastic playground without wrapping them in bubble wrap safe.. Safe can be toxic, especially when other people decide for you what you should consider safe.
@SirJambabwe
Lolz. " poop angel" haa haa haa to funny to visulize
@Peter1447
Thank you for writing this post Peter. I agree and have made the same observations.
@Peter1447 Well said and totally agree.
@Jill7Cups although im not used to this change and was so sudden im willing to keep an open mind and try it their is aspects i do like though the badges needed for listeners and members listeners could be a tad more strict though maybe just my opinion
Hello Gyda or anyone else -
Are the chatrooms available yet? I'm not able to see anything under group discussion chats...like its literally blank :( .
I thought there would be "atleast 2 chatrooms" as promised. Please advice!! Is it because it is visible for only certain members? What do I have to do to get access?
Venting out and sharing ideas helped me a lot!! I need that!!
@RhaegarValyria
you have to talk to 5 different listeners and with each listener the chat must be at least 30 messages and you must send 10 messages to them and they must send 10 messages to you or it wont count after you do the 5 chats with 5 listeners you get a badge the other badge is for 50 hearts you must get i think
@jennysunrise8
They would rather add all of these unnecessary rules than just allow us to speak to people who understand us? I am literally SPEECHLESS.
@ImprovingPanda
i know i think doing some other sort of community activity and getting a badge to get in would make a lot more sense than forcing people to talk privately with random strangers in a private chatroom some people have a lot of anxiety about that for different reasons and actually why some people choose to chat in public chatrooms and get support that way .... i kind of see the logic behind it wanting new people to try out different features of the website but that could easily be done just by starting a thread that asks people to do certain things around the site and report back in the thread when theyre done and they get a badge for doing activities - but a lot of times things are more complicated here than they need to be and it just wastes so much time for everyone involved - but you can message me if you want to ill chat with you and make sure you get credit for it
@jennysunrise8
That would be great, and yeah things do get a bit more complicated. I've also have been laughing at how every post I see, there was only 1 I saw that agreed with it unless I'm not looking hard enough. Everyone thinks they did this wrong and made some mistakes lmao massive L.
@jill7cups
It's not the rooms that have the potential of abuse as much as the one-on-ones. As a verified listener I can only say that I look on requests from the General Queue with dread, even though there have been a few meaningful chats in which I've felt useful. As a member, I can share feelings and experiences as an equal in the 35+ chatroom, and more importantly, just BE with people. People don't always have to talk about their problems - they can just hang out with each other and feel healing that way.
I've very much appreciated the listener and self-help training I've received from 7cups - I think it's helped my personal growth and helped me relate to people better, but in the one-on-ones...hmmm. Do you have a bottle of troll repellent?
@RhaegarValyria you need 2 badges strong bond and hopeful heart to access the rooms
@CaringBrit yep I appreciate it! I think its 'Helpful' heart 
Nobody answered my questions yet
1) Is all those people's Feed data retreivable?
2) Can you some how fix this by reinstating feeds and rooms and postpone the changes until members have had a chance to make the needed adjustments? (So we all can save "feed data" they are so upset about; thinking its gone forever?
3) Is it also possible to have a message board page for future announcements so 7cups can avoid major upsets like this from ever happening again?
(We should all have been notified)
3) Is it possible to find a way to get out an applogoy to all members so they feel like they matter?
Please allow me to start with a thought: Its just so sad that the place that the very kind members worked so hard to make this a place I could visit when Im so upset and struggling for help has now become a toxic place because of how leaders made us feel like they are superior. This is becoming reminicent of societies broken down mental health system. One 7cups let real theropists into our peer to peer safe space, they underminded everything. Its become very obvious now more than ever that getting our thoughts by force so they can mine our human to human helpfulness is more important than our well being. The chaos created over the past few days has takin away from all us members. I dont like it here any more. I dont feel safe and im unable to deal with this overwhelming feeling that 7cups destroyed 7cups.... ...
...7CUPS PLEASE GIVE MEMBERS AN APPOLOGY
@humorousDay8793
Speaking from the teen side here, though I still agree completely. The way they handled this situation for such a major site change is rather unfortunate, seeing as this was in the works for around a year and we weren't notified just goes to show the current problems on the site. Communication with the members should be of utmost importance, but yet it fails to be such. In my own opinion, apologies or pity does not help in this situation, we simply need answers and clarification on how this lack of communication will be prevented in the future.
@xelimious
But as a member and listener, I personally saw this as insulting. Ive given and got a lot of help on 7cups, but it was from members just like you and I, so we are who makes this site a magical place for support right? So I feel its very important for all of us to feel like an intrical part of this, including being respected enough to have our questions answered, be given notice so we can be trained to be ready in case of the community is going to have a big wave of upset confussed and depressed people on almost every thread. It really upset a lot of people and many were on the edges of self harm, many left the site, some left for ever and we have no way of knowing if some just gave up on life. It was terrible and upsetting for me because there have been 7 suicides in my family. All of our well being was ignored on a mental health site that has taken an oath to do no harm.
Its unimagineable and unforgiveable, yet a simple sorry would at least tell us they acknowledge their mistake about the lack of advance notice, and it could give us hope it was just an oversight they will do their best to avoid happening in the future. Right? 😟
@humorousDay8793 I really didnt like this idea (: pleaseee
@humorousDay8793
I'll answer you, since admins here are just using this thread to consoldate complaints and ignore them.
1) Is all those people's Feed data retreivable? ( probably the data is some how retreivable, but what makes you think it matters when the way everything has been screwed up has been implemented )
2) Can you some how fix this by reinstating feeds and rooms and postpone the changes until members have had a chance to make the needed adjustments? (So we all can save "feed data" they are so upset about; thinking its gone forever? ( they could do it, but that takes a paid person to do it, so no it wont happen )
3) Is it also possible to have a message board page for future announcements so 7cups can avoid major upsets like this from ever happening again? ( 7cups has this orange little notification bell, if you don't check it when it shows up, then you wont know what is going on, problem is supposedly the notification said it would be in 2-3 days, and they made the change that same day of the notification, could they make a message board as you suggested, yes, but again it takes effort by people who are paid to do such things an again they just dont care that much to try anything but their own way of running things )
(We should all have been notified)
3) Is it possible to find a way to get out an applogoy to all members so they feel like they matter?
( no, there will not be an apology , this is a free site, if you read the original notification, it was a very passive aggressive message that stated just that, and paraphrasing, it stated this a free site, if you do not like it we wish you well finding a different site that suits your needs )
Money is what matters, not complaints, when donations start to dwindle; at that point someone will wake up and realize how they botched things, so many ways to use common sense to make things better, but common sense is a rare trait in todays world.
@aVeryoriginalScreenname
I have a theory that worries me due to the way we are being treated. What if a paying customer is secretly channeled to a volunteer? Then they would be able to trick volunteers for profits. Im not sure this isnt already happening 😲
@humorousDay8793
I'm not sure I understand what you mean by a "paying customer being secretly channelled to a volunteer."
If you are connected to a listener, you are connected to a volunteer. That is not secret.
@MonBon
I meant that a paying customer who pays the cost for a professional session might pay the full price but actually get a volunteer. That would be very underhanded because in my opinion a volunteer with life experience is far better that a theropist social worker that really has no clue
@humorousDay8793
I still don't understand. Listeners are volunteers, therapists are professionals. Therapists have separate account types as they are independent contractors. If you pay for therapy on 7 cups, you can still reach out to listeners, but those will be volunteers. Only your therapist is a paid professional.
@MonBon
I was just wondering if at some point a professional online theorapy session could be swapped out on any website for unprofessionals
Almost like if a volunteer acted as a subcontractor behind the sceens for a pro thats to busy to handle the workload
@humorousDay8793
I mean, there are people who pretend to be professionals. I assume 7 cups does background checks and confirms the therapists have the degrees they say they do, but who knows. I don't know a lot about how therapy works here.
@humorousDay8793 ''in my opinion a volunteer with life experience is far better that a theropist social worker that really has no clue''. A therapist social worker has no clue really? Every single human being has life experience but that doesn't necessarily make them good listeners, however a social worker has a sufficient education to be able to help professionally.
@humorousDay8793 That's an interesting scenario, but the way the therapy is set up it cannot happen in the way you describe.
7 Cups does not actually provide therapy at all. 7 Cups only arranges to connect you with a therapist, arranges payment (through another company) and provides the communications platform. Your contract is with the therapist, not with 7 Cups. It's the therapist who pays 7 Cups a cut of their fee. So 7 Cups does not have the ability to sneakily substitute a volunteer. 7 Cups is just an agent for the therapist.
However, it's possible to imagine that a crooked therapist could sneakily substitute other people to do the work. 7 Cups would not know anything about it, and it's difficult to know how it could be detected.
Charlie
@RarelyCharlie
Right, and it could be an entire premise for future internet sites. Ir is already happening somewhere.
Probably is.....
😲
@humorousDay8793 an apology??? For improving 7 cups.
@humorousDay8793
I had to delete your post as we prohibit duplicate content. You can either summarize what Jill said or direct people to read the chain themselves.
To keep it short, I cant understand why you would take away the rooms. I could go on anytime and join in or just listen. Now i have to wait, or miss a group all together if i have school or im working. It takes away from my experience
@Jill7Cups
I am going to have my say whether the mods like it or not. I joined 7cups as a member several months ago. I was so taken by 7cups, I became a listener. I've been a listener for 9 months now and I am very unhappy with the changes. My heart broke when the feed was taken away. I loved the feed especially when I was an intern, as I could post little quotes and messages of awareness for others to see. Now I can't post anything on my profile for people to see and feel a little better and more informed.
Then the chatrooms: Yes I understand there were trolls that were upheaving everything. Funny thing is, when I read through some of the posts here, it's still happening. So why can't there be stricter rules for listeners and members alike to prevent trolls from entering?, No, y'all must take away the one thing where people feel comfortable and secure aka the 24/7 support rooms.
Most rooms are now pop up rooms like the anxiety and depression rooms. And then there's a badge to enter the Disability and LBTQ+ rooms?!!!. People should enter the rooms freely without being compromised or waiting for a mod to open the room.
There is one more pet peeve that I would like to address: The room changes announcement states that the planning for said change has been in the works for a long time. So why weren't we given a notice of the change in advance?? So we could be ready for it without suddenly springing the change announcement upon us.
I hope 7cups looks into this as well as what other people's feedback for this change. I do hope that 7cups becomes what it once was. A place secure for people to talk about their problems without being judged.
@Jill7Cups
The 35+ room was the closest I have ever come to getting "help" for my trauma, anxiety and depression. For reasons known only to the site owners, you saw fit to remove that support. When I first came to this site in 2015 (pre 35+ room addition) I visited a depression support room and poured my heart out in there (which took a LOT for me to do at all). I was completely ignored in there. So, I thought I'd done something wrong and left the site entirely for 18 months.
Approaching a trauma-versary of something that will haunt me until the day I die, I felt the need to return. The 35+ room had been created and I went in there, with a fair amount of trepidation. Gradually, I was able to talk (a little) in there and people there were very kind. Talking to a listener was still too hard for me in the beginning and was something i was never really comfortable with.
You created a space here where damaged people felt they were not alone. 35+ was the only room I would use and now it is gone. From a business perspective, I guess I made no profits to you. Hundreds or thousands of members have now lost their safe-space, which is very upsetting. I am not good at putting these things into words, but thank you for reading this.
The rug has been pulled under neath the people who have nothing to start with. I hope the management can truly hear these words and understand that you did not really think through the complex issues surrounding this decision.
@lilmango Does a farmer bother himself with the wellbeing of his cattle above a certain minimum level ? He only reacts when there's a problem and solves it as much as to benefit him and fix the problem somewhat. The happiness of his cattle is secondary at best.
Are you truly more than cattle here ?
Farmers seldom ask their sheep for their opinion on where they should be herded :)
Welcome to the future, where freedom is a luxury more precious than gold, that is sold for the copper coins of security. Those copper coins are actually made with zinc and only coated with copper though..
@SirJambabwe One could say that this site is their property and they could do whatever they want. True, they can do whatever they want. But then again they do want it to be inhabited by people other than the owner and mods and not chase everyone away...
So in a sense a compromise must be struck somewhere between the owners and the people. where both parties are relatively content.. If anyone disregards your part of the bargain they clearly show you, what they think of you and if you continue to participate you do agree with how they are treating you :)
@SirJambabwe
maybe start a thread somewhere and get people together ;) im down with that as long as you accept 0$ in union dues lol
It was better old way.
Also, you know the lie that it is easier to manage / moderate two rooms versus a bunch is a lie, when after everyone moved over to discord and there is literally no chaos , why, because the invites are to people who know how to behave and act in a mature manner and not troll. more over; no staff required to operate a chat room,staff cuts being a cause is a joke as well of a rumor. The changes were made with out being thought out at all, and implimented before anyone had a chance to prepare for a change. It is beyond obvious that 7cups admin do not care how their rash decision based on a foolish notion to streamline a problem that they couldnt fix with common sense is what is causing a backlash.
If chat rooms here are such a problem, just shut them all down and be done with it. stick to discussions only.
@aVeryoriginalScreenname so you would rather have zero group support instead of some group support? If a bunch of people left to go to discord and they are having supportive conversations there without our moderation policies and our rules, I say good for them. Everyone should find the place that gives them the best support. I hope it is 7 Cups but ultimately people connecting in a way that provides them what they need is more important.