Introduction
Like any other medical intervention, support groups should be conducted using specific principles and practices. As studied in the course, these guidelines ensure that all the participants benefit from the session and mitigate potential risks and drawbacks (Worrall et al., 2018). Consequently, this assignment required me to attend four different support group meetings, not because I required mental health assistance but to study the processes and activities in the sessions. Nonetheless, I also got an opportunity to acquire new knowledge relating to the topic of discussion. I attended an Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) group, participating in four different sessions with twelve, five, nine, and nine attendees respectively. For proper analysis, I have categorized my experiences into four distinct sections. My observations on the content and processes, group members and leader behaviors, group dynamics and participation, and finally, conclusion and application.
Content and Processes
The structure of a support group and how the selected activities are conducted determine its success. As a result, I needed to observe the approaches used to conduct the meetings and the discussed content to gauge their efficacy. It is worth noting that all the meetings I attended were organized online via Zoom, and for confidentiality purposes, only first names were used. Additionally, no one was required to reveal their faces, but some did so willingly. The two strategies were crucial in giving the participants the power to choose the confidential information they were comfortable sharing. Additionally, the chairperson would start the meetings by calling other members randomly until each person participating in the discussion. This was advantageous because it made the meetings causal, and the members needed to interact freely. Additionally, participants recited nine promises at the start of every session, said a special prayer, and read a minimum of two pages from “their book”. All of these reminded the members of their mission and responsibility statements.
I enjoyed the first meeting because it was well-structured, and the leader was cautious in directing the session. Shannon was the chairperson, and she showed exemplary leadership techniques throughout the discussion. First, she suggested a relevant topic of discussion which was, “Sex and Struggling”. The members responded well to the subject, and most of them shared how sex addiction had become a replacement for alcoholism. The participants cited that they were experiencing uncontrollable sexual urges, which they could not explain. At the end of the meeting, it was resolved that each member needed a sponsor to help them manage their situations. The participants also learned the importance of self-love in achieving a better mental health state.
Compared to the first session I attended, the second one was less exciting because the person in charge was not strategic in spearheading the meeting. For instance, I never felt welcomed because even though I was a guest and a student, I was treated like the rest of the members. Moreover, the meeting was disorganized without a proper structure and a specific topic of discussion. Everybody gave their different stories on how they found themselves in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) without moderation, which caused a lot of chaos in the end. Nonetheless, there were positives from the session because even though it lacked a proper structure, the participants shared their personal experiences, which were helpful to others. For instance, a member stated that she had no choice but to join AA because the other alternative was getting drunk and going to jail again. Another member spoke of her denial stating that her alcohol struggles could be compared to Hollywood movies. The chairperson concluded the meeting by illustrating the importance of sponsors in overcoming alcoholism.
The third session was very educative because Erica, the chairperson, selected a topic relevant to most members who had joined AA. The subject of the meeting was “Steps of an Alcoholic and Awakening”, and everyone contributed enthusiastically. Most cited how acceptance and denial of their alcoholism contributed to their coping strategies. A member stated that the first step, abandoning drugs and alcohol, was the easiest part of managing addiction. However, maintaining sobriety was the most arduous task because temptations were all over. One member stated that it was either she quit alcohol or was taken to jail. They resolved that the solution to this challenge was finding the inner power crucial in motivating them to fight alcoholism. Like the previous meeting, the leader concluded by discussing the importance of having a sponsor. A member also made a closing remark on the importance of being thankful for the small achievements in life. One participant mentioned she was once asked, “what if you woke up with the only thing you thanked God for the previous night.”. The meeting was so engaging that I also felt a part of the discussions.
My fourth and final meeting with the support group was more educative than the rest. The chairperson was Donna, and she was so direct in her approach to the discussion session. The main subject was “Treating Alcoholism as a Disease”, and the discussion was aimed at teaching the members that addiction is an illness, which has a permanent effect on the members’ lives. Consequently, the participants openly shared how alcoholism has affected their jobs and relationships with friends and loved ones. Members expressed their fears about commitment, quitting, and how they would survive after alcohol. Others were afraid to be called liars and cheaters after stashes of liquor are found in their homes. The members learned to approach the issue as a disease that can be treated. As noted in previous meetings, sponsors are crucial in fighting alcoholism, and Donna ended the session by emphasizing the same. The leader also touched on the significance of believing in a higher power.
Group Dynamics and Participation
Studying group dynamics will help understand how the support group is managed and the involved decision-making behaviors. All organizations have a culture that dictates their interactions, and it is necessary to evaluate how they contribute to the team’s success (Gençer, 2019). Consequently, the support group hosts meetings every day of the week, which ensures that participants have access to help whenever they are in need. Additionally, the fact that the discussions are done online means that members can attend the sessions regardless of their location. Restrictions to physical locations and fewer meetings pose a risk to the continuity of attendance. The support group has done well to ensure there are meetings daily which can be accessed online.
Although there were a few meetings where the discussions were not well-organized, the general participation and interaction among members were positive. A support group only achieves its goals and objectives when members actively engage in conversations (Jacobs et al., 2016). The participants must view the meetings as safe spaces to share their issues without victimization. The support group provided exactly that because everyone could discuss their challenges and encourage each other. Even though I was new to the meetings, I felt involved in the activities. Furthermore, I noted that different individuals were assigned the chairperson role in various meetings. This approach ensured that every member played a role in running the support group.
Moreover, the team can be classified under the norming stage but steadily approaching the performing stage regarding group development. As discussed earlier, only one chairperson was disorganized in the four meetings I attended. Therefore, it is worth noting that the leadership is beginning to understand the strengths and weaknesses of its members, and that is why there are individuals chosen to lead each session (Forsyth, 2019). Additionally, the level of respect for the superiors and fellow participants is recognizable because the arguments and criticisms are constructive. The high level of respect and discipline among members has provided the right environment to comfortably share their experiences and encourage each other as a team (Gençer, 2019). Furthermore, the members are happy with their involvement and highly welcoming. Their commitment and participation levels signify that the team is approaching the performing stage.
Finally, during my short interaction with the group, I noticed that members benefited from the program because it acted as a safe space for most of them. Every participant was given ample time to share their challenges and views on the topic of discussion. Furthermore, the fact that it was not mandatory to use surnames or real names enhanced the level of confidence among members. The desire to get better was integral and a motivating factor in pushing everyone to contribute to the sessions. Everyone participated actively intending to help themselves and their peers. Additionally, the selected discussion topics were relevant to the challenges faced by the majority of the members, which increased participation. The structure of the support group and the organization of the sessions ensured that members received equal attention and help.
Leadership Behaviors
Working in groups is not always an easy task because it requires commitment from individuals with varying personalities. Consequently, the cooperation from the team members and the management skills of the superiors are necessary to achieve related goals and objectives (van der Haar et al., 2017). Similarly, the behaviors of the support group members and the leaders played a significant role in accomplishing the program’s mission. I must say that the participants were calm, attentive, and respectful in the four meetings I attended. I never witnessed any form of discrimination as a result of someone’s background, and neither were there cases of insolent arguments. Everyone waited until their names were called before contributing to the discussion, which enhanced orderliness in the meetings. Moreover, members avoided victimization when giving feedback, advising, and encouraging their peers. The participants esteemed each other and were thoughtful and polite every time they spoke.
During my attendance, various leaders were assigned to manage each of the four meetings. However, since people have different personalities, some leaders use better approaches than others. For instance, the first leader used a lot of obscene language during the meeting, and although it was a little uncomfortable, I was not bothered. Additionally, the support encouraged members to be themselves, so nobody appeared to be affected by her behavior. Besides her profanity, she was concerned about the well-being of the participants and accommodated every person’s thoughts. The second leader was quite disorganized, from her speech to how she conducted the discussion. Throughout the meeting, she appeared to be self-serving by referring to herself every time without considering other members’ contributions. The leader wasted a lot of time talking about personal and professional achievements which were not relevant to the discussion. The session was quite chaotic on that day, and everybody left the meeting unsatisfied.
However, the third leader was an improvement from the previous two because she appeared to understand her role well. She was not careless with her words as the first, and neither was she egocentric as the second. The leader was soft-spoken and gentle in her interactions with the participants. She controlled the meeting quite well by systematically allocating time to all individuals who wished to contribute to the discussion. Moreover, the leader equally participated, and there was an incident where she used herself as an example, citing her experiences. The final leader had similarities with the third because they were both well-mannered and organized. She was interactive and appeared to be more joyful than others. Furthermore, she ensured that everybody participated in the topic of discussion, not forcefully but through involvement. Although different leaders exhibited various approaches, they all had a common goal to help members speak about their addiction.
Application and Conclusion
I have been a part of discussion teams before but never participated in the therapy of support groups before. Consequently, this experience gave me a chance to compare the theory information gained in class with the reality in the field. I learned that support groups are meant to help the affected individuals heal mentally by giving them a platform to share their harrowing experiences and encourage others. I noticed that the participants felt relieved every time they discussed a common problem. Moreover, I learned that the efficacy of a group depends on its structure and organization. There have to be clear guidelines and processes to help manage the program (Hu, 2017). Finally, leader and member behaviors play a crucial role in supporting the objectives of an organization. The support group can only transition from the norming stage to the performing phase if the level of respect, commitment, and discipline are maintained.
If I were leading the support group, I would make two main adjustments to improve its efficacy. First, I would involve the members more because I observed that the leaders always selected the discussion topics, which should not always be the case. The easiest way to involve the participants is by sharing responsibilities with them. Secondly, it will be necessary to keep track of every member’s progress throughout the program. The support group is meaningless if there are no structures to help measure the participants’ achievements. Regarding best practices and principles, the meeting aligned itself with biblical elements apart from the fact that profanity was allowed in the name of freedom of expression. Clean language must be used in such a setup to avoid instances of disrespect. Besides that, ethical guidelines were adhered to in the sessions I attended because confidentiality was prioritized. Support groups are crucial in improving and maintaining the overall mental well-being of society. Therefore, the best practices and principles must be applied to ensure such programs are managed well and that all participants benefit from related activities.
References
Forsyth, D. (2019). Group dynamics (7th e.d.). Cengage.
Gençer, H. (2019). Group dynamics and behavior.Universal Journal of Educational Research, 7(1), 223-229. Web.
Hu, A. (2017). Reflections: The value of patient support groups.Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, 156(4), 587-588. Web.
Jacobs, E, Schimmel, C., Masson, R., & Harvill, R. (2016). Group Counseling Strategies and Skills (8th e.d.). Cengage Learning.
Van der Haar, S., Koeslag-Kreunen, M., Euwe, E., & Segers, M. (2017). Team leader structuring for team effectiveness and team learning in command-and-control teams. Small Group Research, 48(2), 215-248. Web.
Worrall, H., Schweizer, R., Marks, E., Yuan, L., Lloyd, C., & Ramjan, R. (2018). The effectiveness of support groups: a literature review.Mental Health and Social Inclusion, 22(2), 85-93. Web.