Support Group - Michigan Diabetes Outreach Network

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Confidentiality Important to the establishment of a trusting, open, and sharing group environment, the level of confidentiality must be determined in the first meeting. A feeling of trust between members will not develop if a group participant feels that painful, embarrassing, or personal disclosure might reach the ears of people outside the group. Confidentiality is generally interpreted to mean: “What is heard in the group, remains in the group.” Do not, however, assume this means the same thing to every group member. The group must take the time to discuss and decide the level if confidentiality with which they are comfortable. Take adequate time for this discussion. Reprinted by permission from the National <strong>Network</strong> For Mutual Help Centers and the <strong>Michigan</strong> Protection & Advocacy Service 23
Advice: If It Feels So Good To Give, How Could It Be Bad? Bonnie Burstein, California Self-Help Center Mutual support group members often find healing and inspiration in the advice of others. Inspiration is built into some of the most successful mutual support groups. Most of the 12-step anonymous groups often start with a “pitch” from a member who addresses the group with a personal anecdote about overcoming obstacles. Some groups thrive mainly because they know when and how to give advice. But some groups whose members repeatedly give inappropriate advice can be heading for trouble. Unfortunately, advice abuse is the more common state of affairs, as we recently found when we surveyed 300 groups listed with our referral service. Here are some of the things group members say about receiving ill-timed or careless advice from otherwise well-meaning fellow members: “When I hear someone say, “It’s all going to work out.” I know that person doesn’t understand. I freeze inside, and want to scream at them, “How would you know? You’re not going through what I’m going through!” A woman who had joined a group for recent widows wrote of her shock upon hearing a member say, “You should keep busy doing volunteer work.” She told this advisor, “I am keeping busy holding myself together. I couldn’t envision doing more than I am right now.” Obviously, these are extreme examples of insensitive advice – easy to give but even easier to reject. Rejection of bad advice is not the exception, it’s the rule when the matter is critical and the situation is emotionally charged. The rare kind of advice that’s rich in experience, information and caring, and delivered at a time when it’s really wanted, rarely gets rejected. Here are some hints on how to make the advice you give serve your best intentions. Four things to consider before offering advice: y Willingness: First, is there a strong need for your advice? And if there is, how ready, how WILLING is the other person to receive it? When someone is disclosing a problem, it’s common for others to think that they’re looking for advice. Sometimes though, they just want to unburden themselves and be listened to. The more complicated a person’s problem, the more likely it is that, if a simple suggestion for some change was really the answer; they would have done it already. The next three elements depend on the advisor: y Be informed: Do you know the full story? Do you have all the facts? It’s easy in a support group where everyone shares a common concern to assume that one person’s experience of the problem is the same as yours. It often is, and that’s one of the greatest strengths of support groups. But when it’s not and you don’t fully understand the problem, the advice can be half-baked. So take the time to be informed before trying to help. 24
Page 2 and 3: Acknowledgments Contributors to the
Page 4 and 5: Cynthia Hagan*, Diabetes Management
Page 6 and 7: Pages 22. Helping The Helpers: The
Page 8 and 9: A Self-Help Group Is… The followi
Page 10 and 11: How to Start a Support Group: Key D
Page 12 and 13: Ideas and Considerations for Starti
Page 14 and 15: Starting A Self-Help Mutual Support
Page 16 and 17: Helpful Hints For A Successful Firs
Page 18 and 19: Professionals As Consultants In Sel
Page 20 and 21: Promoting Your Self-Help Group Rene
Page 22 and 23: Suggested Techniques For Recruiting
Page 26 and 27: y Success: Are you seen as knowledg
Page 28 and 29: Events To Promote Your Organization
Page 30 and 31: How Professionals Can Interact With
Page 32 and 33: Part Three 31
Page 34 and 35: y Be specific about what you want:
Page 36 and 37: y Business (Suggested time, 30 minu
Page 38 and 39: Helping The Helpers: The Effective
Page 40 and 41: Facilitating For Success Greater Da
Page 42 and 43: Occasionally Vary Meeting Times Whi
Page 44 and 45: 1. Make sure leaders are perfect. L
Page 46 and 47: Joining People with Diabetes Suppor
Page 48 and 49: Michigan Diabetes Outreach Network
Page 50 and 51: Harvey Ardis 8208 Windsor Dimondale
Page 52 and 53: Cheryl Tannas University of Michiga
Page 54 and 55: Audrey Anderson Project Director SE
Page 56 and 57: National Diabetes Resource List and
Page 58 and 59: Michigan Diabetes Resources and Lin
Page 60 and 61: Ten Counties in Central and Western
Page 62 and 63: Announcement Example Diabetic Suppo
Page 64 and 65: Agenda Example Diabetic Support Gro
Page 66 and 67: Survey Example Diabetic Support Gro
Page 68 and 69: Sample Group Guidelines Group Size:
Page 70 and 71: Sample News Release For immediate r
Page 72 and 73: ¾ Contain the name and number of t
Page 74 and 75:
How To List Your Diabetes Support G
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Support Group - Michigan Diabetes Outreach Network

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