Update!
All,
Hope you are well! It has been a while since Ive been able to post with any regularity. Fortunately, I have more time - finally - to engage more on things. I wanted to take a minute to share some updates with you.
Startups are tough. Mental health startups are really tough. The thing that separates us is that we are a community of compassionate people dedicated to helping one another out. We are a small city of people aligned on this purpose. Our shared values make our startup considerably more meaningful and purposeful. Ultimately we are and always will be a place where people like you and I can volunteer to help another person by simply listening. That is something special.
One part of running a startup is paying the bills. When we first launched we had a very small team and we were running out of money. We figured out online therapy and that allowed us to keep the lights on. Universities and other organizations came on and that helped too. When we generate more revenue we are able to hire people to further build up our city (better street lights, teachers, firefighters etc.); when we have less revenue we need to let some of those people go in order to best support the city. These times are particularly challenging. More recently, we had to let some people go and this was very difficult for us and has meant less people to help in the city.
Some of you noticed the group room announcement. That is part of the scaling back. Not ideal I know, but we have limited resources at present so we have to be as smart as possible with what we do have. Everyone on the team is working hard to grow revenue so we can scale back up. We are pretty good at this, but things take time to unfold.
Ordinarily we like to give time for discussion and processing before we make a big change, but sometimes we need to act quickly. Ultimately our rooms require an adjustment to help keep them safe as possible. We understand that change can be incredibly hard when youve grown accustomed to certain features or expectations, especially sudden change. It is always your choice if you decide to stay with us and continue utilize the support our community offers. If you do stay, please remember that staff, ambassadors, and volunteer leaders are all human and all deserve to be treated kindly. Just as the rooms, forums, and messaging on 7 Cups should be used with integrity and for emotional support. This is why we do what we do. If you need emotional support and agree to follow our community guidelines we welcome you with open arms. If you would like a chatroom environment free of rules and moderation there are plenty of websites that offer that ability. We will always be here for you if you decide you prefer inclusive, moderated, and safer rooms that are support focused.
If this is where you want to be and you are open to our attempts to increase safety while also surviving the challenges of a startup, then we have each others backs and will steer into problems together solving them one at a time. It isnt always easy but it is always meaningful work and that is what ultimately matters. Thank you for supporting our community team and rallying. We are all in this together.
Onward!!!
[Jill added link]
(Edited by Forum Mentor @Emily619 to fix a typo)
@GlenM
BEAMS...
@GlenM
High5 to Glen Moriarty and kudos for the changes that were necessary to keep the site going with free therapy (help/support to Members from Listeners) and paid therapy. Now let's ALL work together to make this the most safe 'n secure site and the most productive site it can be. 
@BeautifulBreeze
That's the spirit! Thanks for your understanding of why this change has taken place. Safety is our biggest priority here, and we're doing our absolute best to help ensure everyone can interact as safety and comfortably as possible.
@Heather225 how is this a safety issue?
@BeautifulBreeze exactly! Some people are just so rude about this change
@GlenM I agree with you... Onward we go!
@GlenM
I had my Mod status taken and sorry to say the room I modded in got pm's over this a lot of those members will leave and seek help elsewhere.
@pamharley003my point was just many people are too over over dependent and just stay in their computers without doing something physical. Over dependent was my word. However i am just saying to set some BOUNDARIES as well. :) hugs to you all.
@snowneoonbluez43553 Pam is the best and more than we could have ever hoped for at her moderator position in room 35+. The remark that it/she encouraged dependence to use 35+ was disrespectful to her as well as to the members of 35+. This room is greatly needed by mental health sufferes over the age of 35, and we refer to each other as family not einablers. Surely do hope to see the room be open soon as was the Disability room which i am a member. Yes we of the age of 35+++ older support group need a separate room as our needs our different than our fellow younger members 18+. Hope to see the lights on again in a much needed given and received support room with Pam the best Moderator. Thank you
@snowneoonbluez43553
It's comical to me that you commented above about people being rude. You consider other peoples' comments rude and fail to see your own rudeness.
Not everyone can get out and "be more physical."
Not everyone can get out and be social.
Many people in this community have mental and physical disabilities that prevent them from doing things that you take for granted.
Maybe you should spend your time being thankful that you can do these things others cannot, instead of criticizing people who don't have a lot of options for support. And perhaps take the advice that you've dished out to others and go do something physical instead of spending your time obliviously posting about how rude others are.
@DarkSquirrel excuse me? I truly respect your opinion. But please don't call me rude. I was just saying my own opinion that goes against most people's beliefs and opinion. And I apologize if i sounded rude to you. But I was not being rude or intentionally being rude to people or depicting rudeness from my opinion. I hope you can understand as well. I know how hard it is not to have a "free" group chat. But I am also like you, I am a user here on 7 cups. Who also find 7 cups helpful. My opinion meant moderation and I don't see what is rude about it? People can go against it, But it won't harm other than IF I actually say "get out of 7 cups". 7 cups is a great place and I personally find it helpful as well.!
Now my point is, it breaks my heart you saying that I am rude. When in fact I don't have any intentions to be rude to anyone here. We are like friends here on 7 cups. And I did not say and post about how rude others are just like what you just said. I am also a listener and a member. I find that when I am using my listener account, some members are rude, and also some listeners are rude. SO it's VICE VERSA. It's not only me and it won't be me because I am not that type of person!
@DarkSquirrel FYI I also was concerned about SAFETY. As I MENTIONED. I know it does not apply to everyone but maybe 7 cups are seeing a lot of report about some people trolling in group chats. Who are rude to other members/listeners. And I have also encountered this many times. So just have respect as well. Stop saying that I am rude. I know it won't go for your opinion but I TRULY RESPECT your opinion.
@pamharley003 I still see that you have modertor for all the teams you are mod for Pam. What do you mean it was taken away from you?
@pamharley003 @GlenM @heather225 .... Pam, I don't even know where I'd start to look for something as wonderful as 7cups was. I'm already missing my personal feed; and I came online at this specific time because I was expecting to attend a group open chat - which didn't happen (obviously). I am thankful that I did not have to choose between that scheduled! chat and another activity. @Glen, this is poor timing for me. And, why again could we not have more advanced notice? Does this really come down to "do we have enough money to 'keep the lights on'"?
I'll stop now because I don't want to sound mean or angry here; which I'm afraid it would come across as. Censoring my own comments ... hmm. ~ Platy
@pamharley003
Hugs to you, Pam.
Thank you so much for sacrificing your free time to open 35+.
I appreciate it, and I know a lot of others do as well.
@GlenM that didn't really help, are there going to be rooms and if so when cause I can't find any
@Fireskye13
Yes, there are going to be rooms, just not as many, and they will be moderated.
@Fireskye13 Hey , the rooms are now badge locked so it means you will need these two badges to access Strong Bond 1 (5 chats with 5 Listeners), Helpful heart ( 50 Compassion Hearts)
@fluffyUnicorns84 thanks.
@fluffyUnicorns84 no one can see the rooms with these badges either
@fluffyUnicorns84 i have those two badges and can't join
@fluffyUnicorns84
Ok so if these rooms are badge locked now..... how do we get these badges? Can't find any information or anything.
@fluffyUnicorns84 what about the people who have those badges and still don't have ANY rooms showing?
@fluffyUnicorns84
But how do you aquire hearts if there are no rooms in which other members can award them to you?
@TheMadQueen420 - You can earn compassion hearts by earning badges on the site (which you get for interacting with the site in different ways, completing self help guides, etc.) and by getting messages 'hearted' in 1-1 chats. You can see the full list of what actions correspond to what hearts here
@Anomalia
They only way you can interact really is with Listeners, who are typically quite awful to me.
@TheMadQueen420 - You could talk to me (shy smile) on my (L) account. I try not to be mean. Firm sometimes perhaps, but angry, mean, vindictive? Gee, I sure sure hope not! <3 Do let me know if you'd like to try that (1-1) and I can message you from my (L) account. :) Platy
And so, the beginning of the end of 7 Cups of Tea had aready started to unfold in the Autumn of 2019.
well, this is the end of 7 cups, we lost people that cared about us.. people who seem to enjoy our company.. people worried and wondered about how or when will they see their friends and pals again.. and thus this is how 7 cups became a barrem wasteland without anybody talking in the groupchats..
Rooms badge locked RIP cups. That's just dumb. What are new people going to do? I've had incredibly hard time with listeners, I get comfortable talking to people in group got some pawsome support today, now out of nowhere NOPE we know this is good for you and fun but to bad so sad. So much for being supportive thanks for ruining my day.
@Fireskye13
same.. my day is also been ruined by this.. thanks a lot 7 cups.. *sigh*
I'm optimistic by nature; I hope this change will be for the better, and I will continue contributing to the best of my ability.
I have questions about what you mean by a "safe" site. My main concern is that you by that mean over-censored and over-moderated. By that I mean banning people who don't always express themselves in the most polite terms, but are who obviously still good at heart. I don't mean abuse, but people who occasionally swear when they're really frustrated or talking about relatively harsh realities. Exactly what I mean by this is most easily understood if you're a regular in Anxiety Support.
I believe this is not the case, I'm just slightly concerned if it would be. The development I've seen recently, seems to be towards more humane, real and qualified moderators and room supporters, so mostly I believe we will not lose the "realness" of group support, but that we will only weed out the problems mostly concerned with Depression Support such as trolling, cliques, toxicity, bullying and a generally unsupportive vibe in the room. That will certainly be a very welcome change.
Hoping for the best and excited to see how this goes!
@GoingSafari I have yet to see anything dangerous bad in group,,I've had worse talks 1 on 1
@Fireskye13
Honestly, same. While the majority of listeners I'm sure are good the worst discussions I've had have been with them.
I suppose when somebody has jumped at me in one of the group rooms (didn't happen a lot, but it happened) there were others there to support me so it didn't seem as bad. But when a listener acts the same way you're just kind of stuck with them.
Another thing - the member qualifications for group chat must be clearly advertised when first logging in. We don't want to lose any potentially positive contributors to group chat! As long as they know they will get access after qualifying, I think it might be a good doorkeeper mechanism to it.
@GoingSafari Yeah, but requiring 25 1-on-1 chats is way too high a bar for some people. Like me.