What is a support group?
Support groups grew out of the self-development movements of the 60’s and 70’s and were championed by many pioneering psychologists and mental health workers. Working in groups at that time was really quite a revolutionary idea. The Freudian history of psychotherapy focussed almost exclusively on the psychotherapist as the expert – the one providing all the insight, knowledge and direction. Through much research and experiential work, the realisation that peer support could be transformational began to take hold.
Nowadays, support groups are a common and accepted part of psychological healing. Support groups can be found in many mental health or community centres, clinics, churches and other religious institutions and, of course, in schools and universities. Groups may be used for therapeutic purposes or educational purposes, or a combination of the two. Some groups deal with helping people make changes in their thinking, behaviour or interactions with others. Other groups aim to teach participants about coping strategies and other specific life skills.
Let’s take a little look at what the benefits of support groups are, and what to expect when you join a support group.
Benefits of support groups:
- Foster feeling of well-being
- Feel more in control of life,
- Provide encouragement, guidance and social support
- Adjustment is facilitated through social support networks
- Embrace new roles and opportunities
How do support groups work?
The goal of a support group is to provide the participants with support from others who are experiencing the same sorts of issues. The participant derives a feeling of community, understanding and compassion, and feels as though they are not alone with whatever hardship they are facing.
Many support groups are loosely organised, unstructured and depend on facilitation by the members themselves. An example of this is the Alcoholics Anonymous movement. Professional support groups are facilitated by psychologists, social workers or other mental health practitioners.
If you would like to find out how a support group can help you, please give me a call to find out what support groups I am running throughout the year.