ALBEMARLE COUNTY, Va. (CBS19 NEWS) -- Parenting can be an extremely difficult task, but there are area support groups offering help by giving parents a shoulder to lean on.

Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital offers five support groups for both mothers and fathers, all of which are free to attend and there is no registration required.

All of the groups are peer-led by experienced facilitators.

One of the groups is called Welcome to Motherhood, which is open for any mom, new or experienced.

Another is called Out of the Blues, which is for mothers experiencing anxiety or depression.

There is also Parenting Support for Survival for both mothers and fathers, Tuesday Walk and Walks, and Dads United just for fathers.

"This is a perfect means of social support for any parent that's feeling isolated," said Laura Salvatierra, the team coordinator of Maternity Education Programs at Sentara MJH. "And we just provide a warm compassionate space for moms or dads to be able to say whatever they need to say."

During the holiday season, she says having a safe space to talk about how a parent is feeling can be particularly important.

"They're free, they're easy to access, they're open to anybody, and it's a safe, confidential space," said Salvatierra. "So it's a great spot to kind of process all of the family gatherings that you experience during the holidays."

Parenting is tough, and help from others can often be necessary.

"Grow your village. Even if it takes a creative approach, it's still really important to recognize that you can't raise a baby by yourself," said Salvatierra. "It is so hard to be operating in isolation, so anything that you can farm out allow people to help you with is so incredibly important."

She says the spaces are anonymous and having resources to go to is important for mothers.

"Having a space like that allows you to recognize you're not alone, that you're not living totally in isolation, that there are others in a similar place that are laboring alongside you just in a different home," said Salvatierra.

For more information about support groups at Sentara Martha Jefferson, click here.