support groups are designed for people who share a common experience that is likely generating...
TRANSCRIPT
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
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.