This article offers an introduction for constructing family self-help groups or parent
associations in the field of countering violent extremism (CVE) and deradicalization. These
support group interventions are an essential addition to recently developed family
counseling CVE programs, which have been created in multiple countries since 2012. Based on
interviews with parents of deceased foreign terrorist fighters, this article was able to
identify the most pressing practical needs of parents and to suggest specific measures to
address these. The most important needs voiced by parents are: loneliness, trauma,
understanding, acquiring a death certificate, access to personal files, problems with child
care (criminalization), and fear of the media. Support groups can be designed to address
these issues with a specific CVE focus.