Stages of the Support Group Process

The power of people can never be underestimated, and the support group process demonstrates the healing an individual can find in the experience of sharing issues with others who are in a similar situation. A support group can be formed around any issue, but common ones are addiction, coping with cancer, coping with bereavement, and mental illness.

Choosing a Group

• The individual must first decide what kind of support group to join, and whether he prefers a small, intimate gathering or a larger, more anonymous group. He must also decide whether he wants the group to be peer-led (i.e. facilitated by someone who has recovered from the same issue) or a professional who works in whatever field is relevant to his needs.

Introductions

• Assuming that at least one individual who has joined the group is attending for the first time, the meeting begins with self-introductions. Each member is given the opportunity to explain why she has joined and what she hopes to achieve through being there. Over the next few meetings, the group facilitator works to move the members from the introduction stage to a "working" stage. For this to happen, the meeting must become a safe space wherein all members feel comfortable sharing their experiences and feelings.

The Working Stage

• Shiela L. Videbeck, in her book "Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing", observes that in the working stage of support group development, the group begins to bond and becomes cohesive. When this happens, the members are able to work together, sharing their concerns and experiences without fear of conflict or judgment. Under the facilitator's guidance, the members give feedback to each other in a supportive, understanding manner. Individual members speak from the stage where they find themselves, which will be different for each involved.

Termination of the Group

• During the support group process, members will hopefully have found ways to positively change their behavior or to cope with a major issue in their lives, such as cancer, bereavement or addiction. Many support groups come to an end when they feel that each member has achieved what they need in order to live a fulfilling life in spite of the difficulty. The work of each individual is reviewed to assess personal growth and the growth of the group. In some cases, termination applies just to one member, who decides to leave an ongoing support group, such as Narcotics Anonymous.