[Dialogue] Process for a self-help group

[Nan Grow]

Dear Del,  Since "retiring" I have led  a study group at the local library
for a group of about thirty seniors.  Until Bush came into office, I was
even paid to do it !!  Now we take turns, but the group has pretty well
learned to use AND ADAPT the art form method.  We are always amazed how much
we get out of books on the Top Ten list and even the dreary Florida novels
that seem to be unending.  Last Tuesday I led "The Lovely Bones" , noit my
choice, but a rather rich murder story which reveals the real bones that tie
people together.  I was fearful because the boof had the heroine going back
and forth between earth and the first rung of heaven,  but the Southern
Baptists took it well and really got a lot, and  gave a lot to the hour and
a half discussion. Used the four steps but was a bit creative with the
questions: objective, reflective, interpretive and decisional.  I dpn't
think any decided to be murderers, tho' they agreed that using an icicle to
do it was ingenious!
                G&P  Nan Grow
----- Original Message -----
From: "Del Morrill" <delmorrill at hypnocenter.com>
To: "Colleague Dialogue" <Dialogue at wedgeblade.net>
Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2004 7:50 PM
Subject: RE: [Dialogue] Process for a self-help group


> I had a group of women who met for awhile in my home - "Women's Worth"
after
> the book by Marianne Williamson.
> Tried to have a structure with flexibility.  Read some meaningful article
or
> some paragraphs out of a book, then, starting with rather objective or
> innocuous questions like what lines or phrases do you remember, continuing
> into questions like did you hear yourself anywhere in this, or, how is
this
> expressed in your own life, or in the life of our country, etc., etc.  It
> allowed us to do something more than just chat about nonentities.  Even
with
> that, it eventually became merely a place for people to gripe about their
> problems or worse, focused on the problems of the same people over and
> over --- so I cancelled it out eventually.    I'd love to hear of anyone's
> success with ongoing groups that are beyond group counseling sessions.
> Your colleague,
> Del
>
> Responding to Ghee's note:
> I'd be interested to hear if anyone has
> experience of working with a very loosely structured group that meets
> regularly over along period of time: what processes have worked, what type
> of planning is required, what's your experience?
>
>
>
> Del Hunter Morrill, M.S., Counseling Hypnotherapist
> Author of the GREAT ESCAPES script books
> and the NEW BEGINNINGS recording series
>
> TRANSITIONS, a Center for Counseling &  Hypnosis
> and home of New Beginnings Publishing
> Located in Tacoma, Washington USA
> (253) 383-5757; (888) 663-5757 (toll free)
> delmorrill at hypnocenter.com, http://www.hypnocenter.com
>
> "If you believe, you can, you will.  Have confidence in  your abilities,
> then follow through."
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Dialogue-bounces at wedgeblade.net
> [mailto:Dialogue-bounces at wedgeblade.net]On Behalf Of Ghee Bowman
> Sent: Tuesday, September 14, 2004 4:47 AM
> To: 'Colleague Dialogue'
> Subject: [Dialogue] Process for a self-help group
>
>
>
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