How to Form a Support Group

Video Transcript

"I'm Joe Cuenco with Family Resources, today we're going to be talking about how to draw strength from others in a like cause. Specifically, how do we form a support group? Forming a support group requires one to reach out into the community for folks who are like minded in either situation or cause. There are many support groups that exist for issues, major issues, gambling, addictions, abuse, relationship support groups. And these are typically well established in the area. There's a lot of non-profits that have these support groups that are ongoing. It's really a matter of doing your research and finding out what is available to you. But if you have a specific need for a support group such as you may have, you're dealing with a rare disease or very unique stressors, then you know, in addition to doing this research, it may require you to start this process on your own. So, check the web for helpful resources, again, it may require you to start a blog or putting some information out on a website so that you identify folks with a common interest or common challenge that folks or individuals are facing. So you can start to build this network, use resources such as meetup.com, to bring folks together and once you have a nucleus of several individuals, then start to meet. Set an agenda, and set action items so that not only are you getting out of the group what you want, but you're actually doing something positive and either increasing awareness or helping one another - supporting one another through the issues that you have to work through. So, be supportive, make sure that the group is making progress, build not only friendship but also make sure that the group is actually doing some good. And even though it is important to advance an agenda or create something positive out of these support groups, sometimes it's helpful just to meet, share stories and be supportive of one another. So, if that's all you're getting out of it, sometimes that's really important as well. I'm Joe Cuenco, and that's how we form a support group with Family Resources, relationships for life."