Support groups are designed for people who shareA common experience that is likely generating stress and problems in their lives.

Members may be otherwise physically and Emotionally healthy (although they don’t have toBe).Examples of populations• survivors of sex abuse• veterans of war• parents of children with severe diseases• specific groups of caregivers – I.e. Alzheimers• people in recovery• single parents• women or men

WHAT ARE PURPOSES OFSUPPORT GROUPS

EMOTIONAL RELEASE/VENTILATION(SHARING WITH OTHERS)

INFORMATION GIVING/EDUCATION

SENSE OF COMMUNITYINTERACTION/CONTACT(REDUCING SOCIAL ISOLATION)

RECREATION/PLAY

PROBLEM-SOLVING

ADVOCACY/POWER BASE

PERSONAL INSIGHT/OPTIONS

IMPROVED COPING

IMPROVED RELATIONSHIP

MORALSUPPORT

RESOURCESHARING

SUPPORT

WHAT IS SUPPORT?

STUDIES SUGGEST IT IS A COMBINATIONOF ATTENTION, PERSONAL DISCLOSURE,EMPATHY, COMMUNALITY, ATTAINING ASPIRIT OF HOPE AND CONFIDENCE ANDUNDERSTANDING

BEHAVIORS ASSOCIATED WITH SUPPORTARE HELP-GIVING COMMENTS, SUGGESTIONS,SELF-DISCLOSURE BY LEADERS, GUIDANCE

BEHAVIORS ASSOC. W/ NEGATIVE EXPERIENCEARE PROBING, PERSONAL QUESTIONS, CRITICISM

THERE ARE DIFFERENCES IN WHATPROFESSIONALS EMPHASIZE IN ASUPPORT GROUPS AND WHAT CAREGIVERLED SUPPORT GROUPS EMPHASIZE

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES?

CAREGIVERS EMPHASIZE ADVOCACYINFORMATION DISSEMINATION

PROFESSIONALS EMPHASIZE EMOTIONALRELEASE AND CONTACT, COPING AND CARERECEIVER’S PROBLEMS.

IN MY OPINION, A MAJOR MISTAKE PROFESSIONALS MAKE IS EMPHASIZINGEMOTIONAL RELEASE AND THE BREAKDOWNOF SOCIAL ISOLATION. (ENCOURAGING CONTACT)

IN FACT, SUPPORT GROUPS CAN HAVE NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES.ALTHOUGH THEY STABILIZE DEPRESSION,THEY INCREASE SENSE OFCAREGIVER BURDEN!

MANY CAREGIVERS DON’T WANT NEW RELATIONSHIPS OR EMOTIONAL RELEASE. THEYSTRUGGLE WITH MAINTAINING THE RELATIONS THEY HAVE AND THEY ATTEMPT TO CONTROLEMOTIONAL RESPONSES!

OTHER POSSIBLE NEGATIVECONSEQUENCES IN SUPPORT GRPS

UNRELIABLE OR INACCURATE INFORMATION

IRREGULAR ATTENDENCE-MAJOR PROBLEMGOOD REASON TO HAVE OPEN-ENDED GRP

MISGUIDED ATTEMPTS TO PROVIDE THERAPYOFTEN BY NON-PROFESSIONALS

ALWAYS THE PROFESSIONAL’S GROUP

GROUPTHINK - GROUPS BECOME SO INSULAROTHERS ARE MISTRUSTED

Support groupsWork in all fourquadrants

HIGH TASKINFO CONTENT

LOW TASKINFO CONTENT

LOW INTER-ACTIONINTER-PERSONAL

HIGHINTER-ACTIONINTER-PERSONAL

RECREATION

HOUSEKEEPING BUS.

EMOTIONAL RELEASE/SHARING

GRP. INTERACTION

SUPPORT

RESOURCE SHARE

INFORMATION

PROBLEM-SOLVING

BUILDING COMMUNITY

PURPOSE =Emphasizes the facilitation of helping members share with each other their collective experiences in coping with a stressful event, empathically respond to each other and providing info about resources and solutions.

PROCESSES = recounting events, ventilating feelings, offering empathy, responding to similarities, reflecting on efforts to cope, using helpful suggestions to modify coping, information and resource sharing, some problem-solving.. LEADER STRATEGY = facilitate future hope (not by cheerleading), motivate members to improve coping through self-help and mutual aid.; overcome feelings of alienation, stigma, and isolation by validating, affirming and normalizing their experiences. GROUP COMPOSITION =shared life experience or condition. Strong emotional bonds often form. 

GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR LEADERSGO SLOW! EMOTIONAL RELEASE IS ONLYONE PART OF A SUPPORT GROUP. IN FACT,A RULE OF THUMB IS TO DISCOURAGEPREMATURE OR RAPID DISCLOSURE!BALANCE FOCUS ON INTENSE FEELINGS

PARTICIPANTS MAY FEEL PRESSURE, RELEASE IN GROUP, THEN NOT COME BACK!

DON’T PUSH INTERACTION AND CONTACTIN THE BEGINNING. CAREGIVERS MAY FEELGUILT ABOUT FORMING NEW RELATION-SHIPS WHILE OLD ONES ARE IMPAIRED.

MOST COME FOR CARE-RECEIVER, NOT FORTHEMSELVES!

•BE CLEAR ABOUT THE NATURE OF SUPPORTGROUPS AND SUPPORT•MODEL EXPECTED BEHAVIOR

•SET GROUND RULES -THEN ENCOURAGE GRP TO SET NORMS

•CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEMBERS TOSAFELY BECOME ACQUAINTED

•ENCOURAGE THE TELLING OF SUCCESS STORIES -ESPECIALLY EXP MEMBERS

•ROUND ROBIN SELF-DISCLOSURE

•PROVIDE RELEVANT USEFUL INFORMATION

•VARY THE GROUP FOCUS

•DIRECT - DON’T LEAD-ALLOW GRP TO DEVELOP•AVOID THERAPY•ENCOURAGE WITHIN GROUP ALTRUISM

Group formats.'each one teach one' - group members take

responsibility for planning support group on rotating basis.leader structured - planned by faciltator, clear

beginning , middle and end.combination of the two

.start with brief check-in or intro for each member. (important to keep short - no more than 1 minute). At this

time any member who needs more time to discuss a particular issue can identify that now.

.Main topic, exercise, event etc..Individual time (discussion of problems)

.A brief statement of what is planned for the next meeting.Adjourn

Group buildingGroups often develop based upon critical incidents. A major opportunity for critical incidents comes through decision-making. Giving your group the opportunity to make group decisions is a good way to build cohesion/commitment. Several tasks are available for this. The first opportunity is

Picking a meeting time - If group members participate in this process, they increase likelihood of participation. The major drawback is that this decision often needs to be made before the group is capable of making it (to early in life of group)

Planning future meetings - is a more realistic and acceptable decision-making process. Every so often, one meeting can be devoted to planning future meetings. This is a good means of determining the needs of group members and also using consensus to group-build.

Group facilitatingInteraction in the early stages of group looks like a pinwheel. All communication goes through facilitator. This is normal and acceptable early in group development (first 2-4 groups). However, begin to look for opportunities to engage others in process and defer to group members. The check-in is a good use of norming a 'round robin' style.

Therapy maybe usually usually Usually not

Usually not

Minimal to moderate

maybe

Support Usually not

always maybe sometimes

sometimes

Minimal Usually not

Psycho-ed Usually not

maybe Usuallynot

always sometimes

minimal always

behavioral Most often usually always sometimes

sometimes

Moderate to maximum

always

mandated always sometimes

always always Almostalways

maximum

always

pre-setround robin ask for individual topics/info criteria for check-in time goals agenda check out rules discharge/end

Degree of structure

GOALS OF A LEADER1. FACILITATE INCLUSION OF MEMBERS2. PROVIDE INFORMATION3. PROVIDE STRUCTURE WHEN NEEDED4. QUIETLY ASSESS MEMBERS STRESS LEVEL AND NEED FOR MORE5. ENCOURAGE POSITIVE INTERACTION6. ENCOURAGE VENTILATION AS TRUST IS BUILT7. FACILITATE INFORMATION SHARING

INTERACTION STRUCTURE OFTEN BEGINS WITH ALL COMMUNICATIONGOING THROUGH THE LEADER

This leads to a rather rigid and formal group structure. Your job is to attempt to move to

Most support groups do not get beyond this structure.

One might see this structure within a ‘support’ group.

In rare instances you might see THIS!As group ownership expands and members take risks with each other and the leader, new communication patterns and more flexible group

structures evolve. Leadership becomes situational, based on expertise and communication patterns as well as structure can be very complex.