AMPUTEE SUPPORT GROUP OF
NORTHERN VIRGINIA NEWSLETTER
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Monthly Meetings: |
First Tuesday of every month, 7:30-9:00 pm, Telestar Court Building, Gemini Room, 2990 Telestar Court, Falls Church, Virginia 22042 |
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Contacts: |
Daphne
Burroughs, 703-369-2615 |
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Web Page: |
www.inova.org/rehabilitation/amputee_support.htm |
Support Group Meeting
The Amputee Support Group of Northern Virginia (ASGNVA)
held it's regularly scheduled meeting on February 1, 2005, at 7:30, at the
Telestar Building in Falls Church, Virginia. Approximately 10 amputees, 2
professionals and 1 potential amputee and his wife attended the meeting.
Since we had a potential amputee, we did not stick to our
program and concentrated on answering his questions. Joce and Charlie (Charlie is Joce’s prosthetist) played
“show and tell” for him and everybody else threw in their opinions as
inspired. It was great. And he’s also been sent ASGNVA’s New
Amputee Information Packet so, hopefully, he’s armed and dangerous
with information.
We also had a presentation of a new service that is
available for disabled individuals which is a very good service but I will give
the detail on the service in the Services and Products section of
the newsletter.
But, again, I ask the question: Where are the veteran amputees that struggled for many long
years to learn those hard, hard lessons?
Do you really want someone, anyone else to go through any ordeal that
you endured and that you can prevent from happening just by contributing at a meeting? And it doesn’t have to be every month –
just often enough that the “regulars” get to know you and can call on you with
questions, if necessary.
In the newsletter last month (which I got out late – I
apologize but I don’t have much help), I expostulated on the lack of ASGNVA
“worker bees” responsible for some of the duties of the group. These tasks are necessary for the
functioning of ASGNVA and, although I have been trying to do them in the past,
I cannot do them all. In addition
to my own health issues (which we all have), I am also a member of another
support group and do their newsletter, am a Board member of a Center for
Independent Living, and have been asked and accepted to be a PALS Facilitator
(that starts in March).
Consequently, I will continue to have less time to devote to ASGNVA in
the future and, if no one steps forward to perform these tasks, they will not
get done. I cannot, nor should I,
carry the entire group. Step up to
the plate – you’re already invested just by being an amputee – get involved
with YOUR support group. At this
point it may be a matter of “use it or lose it.”
As I stated last month, and since there have no objections
(no comments at all, as usual), I am going to incorporate the “amended” bylaws
(published last month) into the current bylaws. The “officers” of ASGNVA will no longer have a “ranking” or
hierarchy; a Board of peers will operate ASGNVA. And, if ASGNVA doesn’t have enough interested members to
have a “Peer Board of Directors”, then ASGNVA will cease to exist. Nominations and volunteers for the
Board positions will be taken at the March meeting – be there or be
square. The Board will be “sworn
in” at the April meeting for a period of one year – as stated in our Bylaws.
News and Announcements
ASGNVA to Acquire Scooter – I
received the “A-OK” from my peers at the February meeting to acquire this
scooter even if it needs batteries.
I need to go through the logistics of acquiring the scooter and ensuring
that it is safe. After that, it’s
up for grabs (borrowing) if you need it.
Let Beth know if you are interested (540-439-3656 or betheharris@earthlink.net, or asgnva@earthlink.net).
Tax Information for 2005 – The Fairfax Area Disability Services Board's Web site has information about tax relief for people with disabilities and their families (Virginia offers a "Home Accessibility Features for the Disabled' income tax credit as well as Caregivers Grants for relatives who take care of people with disabilities). The information is available on the web page at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/service/dsb/Tax_Considerations.htm or by sending an e-mail to disabilityservices@fairfaxcounty.gov. For those of you without Internet access, the information is also available by calling 703-324-5421, TTY 703-449-1186.
ASGNVA Funds/Donations – ASGNVA has received no donations since last
year. If you want ASGNVA to continue, donate to Inova Foundation Fund
352. To donate
by phone or obtain a donation form, call 703-289-2072. To donate online,
go to https://connect.inova.com/j/inovanet.srt/forms/donation/donatenow.htm.
Services and Products
ADT Companion Services – Peg (P.J.) Isidore, Home Health
Security Services Representative, ADT Security Services, Inc., joined us for
the meeting and gave us a short presentation on a new service offered by ADT
Security Systems called Companion Services. Peg was very nice and spent the entire evening with us,
asked us questions, jumped right in and watched “show and tell” while talking
with Patti and Helmut. And she
understood that our number one priority was the potential amputee person. Finally, we gave her a couple of
minutes for her presentation and Companion Services seems to be a pretty
nice personal security system at a very reasonable cost.
Companion Services is a “personal emergency response
system”. The system consists of a
pendant or wristband that is worn at all times (waterproof) and a separate
control unit. If the person
wearing the pendant or wristband needs emergency assistance, they simply press
the button on the pendant or wristband and the control unit calls a
pre-programmed number (client’s choice of phone number(s) or a specially
trained ADT Monitoring Specialist available 24 hours a day) to summon help. The pendant/wristband doubles as a
speakerphone with push-button answering and has long-range capability – up to
300 feet. Sensors are also built
in to send an alert if unsafe temperatures are detected. And the price was very reasonable. If you are interested, contact Peg
Isidore to get details. Here’s
how: 703-912-1383, Cell:
703-973-2811, Pager: 703-741-4884, Fax: 703-912-7501, ADT Security Services,
Inc., 7399 Boston Boulevard, Springfield, VA 22153.
ASGNVA Web Pages – INOVA Fairfax Hospital hosts our
“official” web page, be accessed at: http://www.inova.org/inovapublic.srt/rehabilitation/amputee_support.htm. The dynamic ASGNVA UNOFFICIAL WEB PAGE can be accessed at http://home.earthlink.net/~asgnva/ASGNVA.html. I will continue to add newsletters (both current and
archived) as well as other information, as applicable. Let me know if you want to see
something on the page – your “webmaster” is only an email or phone call away
(and the information is right there on the web page for you).
ASGNVA Lending Library – Come to a meeting and
borrow a book or see what new handouts are available. A list of the
library materials will be posted on the web site soon. If you would like to borrow materials
from ASGNVA’s Lending Library, please contact Jason Bulger or Beth Harris or
email asgnva@earthlink.net.
Member Updates
Roberta
W. – Roberta
is hanging in there and waiting to heal on her “other” foot. It just takes so much time! Keep Roberta in your hearts and prayers
– she only has one foot left and she’d like to keep it!
Beth Harris – Beth Harris has been asked by
the Amputee Coalition of America to be the PALS Facilitator for the local PALS
Support Group that is scheduled to start meeting sometime in March.
Irv Axelrod was named Washingtonian of the
Year in January 2005. Here’s the
story that was printed about him in the magazine.
IRVIN AXELROD
“He’s going to overcome it. That’s what makes
my life worthwhile.”
The
young sergeant sits on his bed at Walter Reed Army Medical Center,
absentmindedly stroking what’s left of his right leg. “I got hit with an RPG,”
he explains. “Not many people can say that.
“Sometimes
the bandages get tight; it gets uncomfortable. . . .”
“Let
me tell you—you haven’t been an amputee that long,” says the 75-year-old vet
beside him. “Your stump will shrink. It won’t always be that big.”
Irvin
Axelrod knows from experience. As a 21-year-old private first class in Korea,
he stepped on a land mine and landed on his back in a frozen rice paddy. After
22 operations, nearly five years in Army hospitals, and decades of pain,
Axelrod finally had half his own right leg replaced by carbon fiber and
titanium. He walks the halls without a limp.
Axelrod
walks more today than he did in his career with the Defense Intelligence
Agency, the CIA, and the Department of Commerce. He was founder of the
Washington Amputee Association and president of the Northern Virginia Amputee
Support Group. He’s also testified before Congress against land mines, spoken
at senior centers, advised the Department of Homeland Security on handling
amputees at airports, and given disability-awareness workshops at Fairfax
County schools: “I take off my leg and tell them 15 million people are in the
same position.”
After
the Persian Gulf War, the National Rehabilitation Hospital created a job for
Axelrod—to counsel amputees in a way medical experts could not. He saw 1,500
patients over six years.
“You
get very depressed,” he says. “Your body image is shattered. But a positive
attitude is the key to recovery.”
Axelrod
traces his attitude back to an encounter with the deaf and blind Helen Keller,
who told him to concentrate on what he had, not what was lost. He passes the
message on. A man who’d lost both legs to diabetes came to the support group
despondent at not being able to dance. At the next meeting, Axelrod arranged
for a double amputee and his wife to dance before the group.
“He just cried,” Axelrod says. “He saw the possibility.”
Scheduled Events
Monthly Meeting – The next monthly meeting is March 1, weather permitting (see Winter Weather Policy). Since we didn’t watch the video on Ossiointegration, we can watch that after we ask for nominations and/or volunteers for Board positions. As usual, there will be current copies of Disabled Dealer and other new handouts of interest to amputees and other disabled people. Remember - YOU have the choice to make your support group better.
Winter Weather Policy – When Fairfax County Schools
announce delayed openings, are closed or have early dismissals for inclement
weather, the ASGNVA meeting will be canceled for that date. Be extra
careful when it’s icy or snowy -- it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Calendar of Events
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February 2005 |
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1-28 |
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1 |
Amputee
Support Group of Northern Virginia (ASGNVA) – First Tuesday of the month,
7:30-9:00 pm, 2990 Telestar Court Building, Gemini Room, Falls Church,
VA. Contact Beth Harris, 540-439-3656, betheharris@earthlink.net or
asgnva@earthlink.net. Speaker on new service for disabled in
Northern Virginia and video on ossiointegration. |
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3 |
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4 |
Happy Birthday to David Hanscom |
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6-12 |
National Burn Awareness Week, Shriners Burns Hospital, 3229
Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229 |
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8 |
Fredericsksburg Area Amputee Support Team (FAAST) – Second Tuesday
of the month, 7:00-9:00 pm, The disAbility Resource Center, 409 Progress
Street, Fredericksburg, VA. Contact Greg Wright, 540-899-2655 or
800-333-4102. |
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12 |
Happy Birthday to Thomas Watts |
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14 |
National Donor Day, Division of Transplantation, OSP,
HRSA, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Parklawn Building, Room
16C-17, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857, (301) 443-7577, email: ask@hrsa.gov, www.organdonor.gov
Materials available |
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15 |
Washington Amputee Association (WAA) – Third Tuesday
of the month, 6:30-8:30 pm, National Rehabilitation Hospital, 102 Irving
Street, NW, Washington, DC, Ground Floor Dining Room (rear section, near the
windows and behind the partition). Contact Roy Dwyer, 301-897-2816.
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16 |
Kernan Hospital Amputee Support Group – Third
Wednesday of the month, 6:00-8:00 pm, SCI Gym Room G604, Kernan Hospital,
2200 Kernan Dr., Gwynn Oak, MD. Contact Mark Senker at
410-581-7027. Snow Date: Wednesday, March 2, 2005. Sponsor: Jeff Cups, Chesapeake Rehabilitation Equipment. Speaker: Darlene Sullivan, Canine Partners for Life. Topic: Service Dogs for Independence. Happy Birthday to Chris Laabs & Ann Matulis |
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18 |
Happy Birthday to |
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19 |
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24 |
Ability With Mobility – Last Thursday
of the month, 6:00-8:00 pm, 2nd floor, Adventist Rehabilitation Hospital of
Maryland, 9909 Medical Center Dr, Rockville, MD. Contact Sandy
Shehadeh, 240-864-6200. |
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28 |
Happy Birthday to Althenia Mozee |
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March
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1-31 |
National Nutrition Month® 2005: Get
A Taste for Nutrition! American Dietetic Association, 120 South Riverside
Plaza, Suite 2000, Chicago, IL 60606-6995, (800) 877-1600 x4771, nnm@eatright.org, www.eatright.org/Public/NutritionInformation/92_11422.cfm,
Materials available. Contact:
Knowledge Center. |
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1 |
Amputee
Support Group of Northern Virginia (ASGNVA) – First Tuesday of the month,
7:30-9:00 pm, 2990 Telestar Court Building, Gemini Room, Falls Church,
VA. Contact Beth Harris, 540-439-3656, betheharris@earthlink.net or
asgnva@earthlink.net. Speaker on new service for disabled in
Northern Virginia and video on ossiointegration. |
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2 |
Happy Birthday |
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3 |
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8 |
Fredericsksburg Area Amputee Support Team (FAAST) – Second Tuesday
of the month, 7:00-9:00 pm, The disAbility Resource Center, 409 Progress
Street, Fredericksburg, VA. Contact Greg Wright, 540-899-2655 or
800-333-4102. |
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9 |
Happy Birthday to Ahman Shahna |
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10 |
Happy Birthday |
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11 |
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15 |
Washington Amputee Association (WAA) – Third Tuesday
of the month, 6:30-8:30 pm, National Rehabilitation Hospital, 102 Irving
Street, NW, Washington, DC, Ground Floor Dining Room (rear section, near the
windows and behind the partition). Contact Roy Dwyer, 301-897-2816. |
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16 |
Kernan Hospital Amputee Support Group – Third
Wednesday of the month, 6:00-8:00 pm, SCI Gym Room G604, Kernan Hospital,
2200 Kernan Dr., Gwynn Oak, MD. Contact Mark Senker at
410-581-7027. Snow Date: Wednesday, March 2, 2005. Sponsor: Jeff Cups, Chesapeake Rehabilitation Equipment. |
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23 |
Happy Birthday to Rebecca Wolfrey |
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31 |
Ability With Mobility – Last Thursday
of the month, 6:00-8:00 pm, 2nd floor, Adventist Rehabilitation Hospital of
Maryland, 9909 Medical Center Dr, Rockville, MD. Contact Sandy
Shehadeh, 240-864-6200. |
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ORGANIZING (OR
RE-ORGANIZING) A SUPPORT GROUP
In
ASGNVA, what we have is a one-person (almost) operated amputee support
group. Why? I don’t know but I can tell you that I
can’t keep it up – and I shouldn’t.
Also I have other organizations that I work WITH that are physically
much closer to home. So, if you
want this group to stay together, here’s the next part of re-organizing a
support group: developing a Board
of Directors.
A
Board of Directors is not a hierarchy.
It is a board of peers.
Each board member is responsible for completing the business of the
group outlined in the bylaws of the group. Then the board member comes to the meeting and reports back
or, prior to the meeting, tells the Meeting Facilitator what they have
accomplished during the month. So
here’s the list of Board members that need to be filled. I’ve filled in my name with what I’m
willing to do each month.
Meeting Facilitator. (Position Vacant)
(1) Chair
Business Meetings.
(2)
Initiate discussion among Board Members and general
membership regarding ASGNVA goals and objectives.
(3)
Keep close contact with members regarding their needs and
assess how ASGNVA is meeting those needs.
(4)
Host and lead discussion at ASGNVA monthly meetings
and any other ad hoc meetings.
(5) Obtain
speakers for monthly meetings and special events.
(6) Ensure
reservation for meeting room is made, in advance.
Secretary. Beth Harris (540-439-3656, BeTheHarris@earthlink.net)
(1) Take
notes at Business Meetings and distribute copies to all members (in the
newsletter).
(2)
Keep master files.
(3)
Maintain ASGNVA’s archives.
Treasurer. Beth
Harris (540-439-3656, BeTheHarris@earthlink.net)
(1) Act
as financial liaison between INOVA Fairfax Hospital contact and ASGNVA members
for reimbursement of any expenses incurred as a result of activities approved
by the Board of Directors.
Data Base Manager. Beth
Harris (540-439-3656, BeTheHarris@earthlink.net)
(1) Maintain an automated member/mailing list.
(2)
Provide a periodic softcopy of the data base/archives to
another designated individual of ASGNVA.
(3)
Provide a contact list of approved visitors to the
Visitation Coordinator.
(4) Print mailing labels for the monthly newsletter and any other mailings.
(5) Provide information to various members of the Board of Directors, as requested.
Communications
Coordinator. (Position Vacant)
(1)
Coordinate
with print and electronic media for publication of meeting and/or special event
announcements.
(2)
Send
out e-mails to ASGNVA members of monthly meetings and special events.
(3)
Create
and maintain a “telephone chain” for quick turnaround of news, events or
cancellations.
(4)
Create,
modify and/or maintain a supply of ASGNVA promotional materials.
(5)
Ensure
that ASGNVA materials are placed in hospitals, doctor’s offices, and any
other place deemed appropriate.
(6)
Maintain
and post meeting and event signs and/or information.
Visitation Coordinator. (Position Vacant)
(1)
Receive requests for hospital visits.
(2)
Select a peer-certified visitor to visit new amputees
and/or individuals considering amputation.
(3)
Perform quality control on the visitation process.
(4)
Keep records of visits.
(5)
Assemble and send new amputee information packets to those
visited.
(6)
Provide periodic visitation reports at the Business
Meeting.
(7)
Provide new amputee information to the Data Base Manager
for the member/mailing list.
(8)
Coordinate provision of visitor training.
Newsletter Editor. Beth Harris (540-439-3656, BeTheHarris@earthlink.net)
(1) Write and edit ASGNVA’s
monthly newsletter.
(2)
Consult with the Board of Directors regarding the newsletter’s content.
(3) Prepare the newsletter
for mailing and mail it in accordance with Postal Service requirements.
Hospitality Facilitator. (Position Vacant)
(1) Set
up the meeting place before meetings and clean up afterward.
(2) Staff “welcome” table at
meetings.
(3) Maintain stock of
materials (nametags, brochures, InMotion copies, etc.) for “welcome” table.
Membership Facilitator. (Position Vacant)
(1)
Design and implement events designed to attract new members.
(2)
Generate ideas to retain existing members.
(3)
Maintain close coordination with the Communications Facilitator (for
announcements), the Visitation Facilitator (for outreach to new amputees), the
Community Outreach Facilitator (for attracting members from other groups).
Community Outreach Facilitator. (Position Vacant)
(1) Establish and maintain liaison with other local groups,
as appropriate, such as independent living centers, caregiver support groups,
other disability-specific groups.
(2)
Establish and maintain liaison with local governmental entities, as
appropriate.
And after
that, it’s supposed to be a matter of just keeping the group active. This is achieved by continuously
recruiting new members and enlisting their assistance with projects. Local TV and radio stations should be
asked to run public service announcements about ASGNVA for public
awareness. ASGNVA already
requests the local newspapers to print our meeting announcement every
month. We also publish a
newsletter for our members that is mailed to them on a monthly basis. What ASGNVA
needs is to enjoy more face-to-face communication among its members so that
they can truly enjoy, learn and benefit from the support of each other.
National Institute of Mental Health
Office of Scientific Information
PLAIN TALK ABOUT MUTUAL SELF-HELP (SUPPORT) GROUPS
"I believe in self-help as an effective
way of dealing with problems, stress, hardship, and pain...Mending people,
curing them, is no longer enough; it is only part of the total health care that
most people require."*
C. Everett Koop, M.D., Sc.D. Surgeon General
U.S. Public Health Service
*Health Resources and
Services Administration, DHHS, THE SURGEON GENERAL'S WORKSHOP ON SELF-HELP AND
PUBLIC HEALTH, Sept 20-22, 1987, Rockville, MD: the Administration, 1988.
For
many human problems there are no easy answers or easy cures. Even after the
best professional help has been obtained, a person may be left with
difficulties too great to handle alone. In this situation, millions of people
have found much-needed personal support in mutual-help groups. It is within
these groups, whose members share common concerns, that they are offered an
important aid to recovery, the understanding and help of others who have gone
through similar experiences.
What
Is Mutual Help?
Mutual
help has been a mainstay of life for as long as families have existed. As
social beings, all of us need to be accepted, cared for, and emotionally
supported. We also find it satisfying to care for and support those around us.
Within the most natural "mutual-help networks" - made up of our
families and friends - we establish the one-to-one contact so important to our
happiness and well-being. We often take this informal support for granted, but
it clearly influences our ability to handle distressing events in our lives.
Many of our daily conversations are actually mutual counseling sessions in
which we exchange the reassurance and advice that help us deal with routine
stresses. In fact, scientists have found that this sort of emotional support
can help prevent ill health and that it promotes recovery when an illness or
accident does occur.
The personal support we
receive from family and friends, however, is only one part of the support
network that helps sustain us through life. As we develop socially and
intellectually, we tend to associate with others who have similar interests and
beliefs. These associations include religious congregations, civic and
fraternal organizations, and social clubs: in them, members benefit from a
shared identity and a sense of common purpose. Some groups are aimed primarily
at social enjoyment. Others come together to bring about social change. Through
combined efforts, the group can often promote or accomplish what the individual
cannot. Yet each member's presence and participation adds to the strength of
the 
group;
the group is then an instrument for mutual services to the total membership.
Why
The Need For Mutual-Help Groups?
The
twentieth century has advanced human knowledge and achievement at an
astonishing pace. It has also
produced social changes which affect our traditional patterns of support.
Living in a highly mobile society, we may not enjoy the benefits of a permanent
community and longstanding stable relationships. People today are apt to live
in more than one home before adulthood. As adults, they may hold a series of
jobs requiring them to form new friendships in new locations. Their families,
once close, are now separated by distance. The emotional and practical support
they gave is no longer available and may not be forthcoming from new neighbors
and friends. And, perhaps most significantly, divorce is separating millions of
families each year. Despite these changing social patterns, our needs for
stability and support remain constant. We are likely to feel a sense of
isolation, questioning "What role do I play in such a vast, impersonal
world? Where can I find other people like me?" To overcome this sense of
isolation and to exercise more control over the quality of their lives,
millions are turning to mutual-help groups.
What
Is The Purpose Of Mutual-Help Groups?
The
estimated half-million mutual-help groups in existence deal with almost every
human problem. There are three types of formal groups: (1) the self-care groups
for those suffering physical and mental illness (there is at least one group
for nearly every major disease); (2) the reform groups for addiction behaviors
(particularly the "anonymous" groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous);
and (3) advocacy groups for certain minorities (handicapped, elderly, etc.).
In spite of the
enormous diversity of the problems they address, all mutual-help groups have
the same underlying purpose: to provide emotional support and practical help in
dealing with an issue common to all members. There is a special bond among
people who share the same troubling experience; it begins when one person says
to another, "I know just how you feel," Knowing that someone else
truly understands one's feelings by virtue of having "been there"
brings a sense of relief; one's pain is no longer a burden borne alone.
Stepping into the security of such a group can be like coming home for those
who have been too long isolated by their private and painful concerns. Each
support group provides an atmosphere of acceptance that encourages members to
share their sorrows, fears, and frustrations. They can then begin to
communicate more openly, view their problems more objectively, and find more
effective coping strategies.
How
Do Mutual-Help Groups Operate?
The
structure of mutual-help groups and the way they serve their members depend
primarily on their goals. Each local group determines its own programs and
meeting schedules. Typically, groups hold regular meetings in church halls,
public buildings, or other no-rent or low-rent facilities. Many small groups
meet in a member's home. Programs for those meetings can include group
discussions, study groups, visiting speakers, and other activities that inform
the members and help to build their confidence. Along with the personal support
gained from meeting together, the groups may offer additional services.
Newsletters published by both parent organizations and local groups report
individual success stories, treatment updates, and other information about the
group's concerns. Some groups maintain a "hotline" so that those in
need will have constant access to information and an understanding listener.
Others, particularly those focusing on addictive behavior or emotional
disorder, use a "buddy system" so that members can count on
one-to-one encouragement between meetings. Some groups, such as those that deal
with a rare disease and have only a few members in each part of the country,
have a correspondence referral system to put members in touch with one another.
Although some mutual-help groups receive funding from Government health
agencies and public contributions, many are entirely self-supporting through
members' voluntary contributions or minimal dues (average: $10-$15 yearly).
Since the groups are run by members for members, there are seldom any
professional salaries or overhead costs (although an office administrator or
secretary is sometimes necessary). Some groups will even refuse outside
contributions on the grounds that it would compromise their independent status.
What
Happens At A Meeting?
For
the millions currently utilizing and contributing to mutual-help groups, the
process began with a tentative exploration, a first meeting. Of course, the
prospect of exposing a previously concealed pain may be frightening; thus many
approach their first group meeting with their defenses up. All new members
wonder what the group can do for them and what it will ask in return.
Experienced members, aware of these mixed emotions, encourage new members to
feel relaxed and welcome. A veteran member may begin a conversation and offer
literature that outlines the group's purposes. In an atmosphere that is
friendly, compassionate, and accepting, new members soon realize that their
participation is purely voluntary, with no strings attached. There is an
unwritten code of confidentiality within the group, and each member's privacy
and dignity is respected. Everyone is given the freedom to draw on the strength
of the group as needed and to extend support to others when possible. Group disapproval
of those who stumble in the march toward recovery is rare because everyone
knows how difficult it can be. In fact, mutual-help groups use the knowledge
gained from a conflict or crisis as a valuable tool for building better ways to
manage such problems in the future.
To those new to a
mutual-help group, being with others like themselves, who are successfully
getting on with life despite their problems, can be the best encouragement of
all. Who are the "others" who provide the positive example that keep
the group together? If they have passed a crisis or gained confidence in coping
with their hardship, what further need do they have for shared support? While
there are no levels of distinction among the members in a group, there are
always those who are stronger, more experienced, more committed to the group's
goals and more able to give of themselves. These people often assume leadership
roles, continuing to receive comfort and encouragement while helping others.
There is a natural tendency among those who have derived benefit from the group
to want to perpetuate the cycle of being helped and helping. For those helpers
who lead, organize, reach out to others, and bolster the group's morale by
their own example, reward comes in seeing the progress of others. Says one
group member, "I've been there and know what it's like. I could have been
saved 20 years of misery if there had been a group to help me."
What
About Professional Help?
Mutual-help groups do
not intend to replace physicians, therapists, and other skilled professionals.
Rather, the groups function in the belief that many of our physical and mental
health needs go beyond the bounds of formal care measures. In any event, the
practical problems of everyday life can be overwhelming.
Some mutual-help groups
avoid formal professional guidance or consultation, although many have
benefited from the informal help of professionals. Despite the distance
maintained between the groups and their professional counterparts, each
acknowledges the role of the other: groups typically encourage their members to
seek or continue with the professional help they need, and many physicians and
other service providers strongly endorse group programs as an appropriate
extension of care.
Finding
The Mutual-Help Group That You Need
You
may already have heard about a mutual-help group that deals with your concerns.
There are a number of ways to get more information about groups that may
interest you. The important thing to realize is that mutual-help groups are
there for you. They're economical
and effective. And they can reassure you that you are not alone: there are
others who understand your problem and are eager to share their experience and
support with you.
