Support Groups in Social Work

Complete the blanks with suitable words.

If there is a word in brackets use it to make a new one.
If you have a list of words, choose the correct one to complete the blanks.

First, watch this video: (2 minutes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jj2hJEdxnnY

https://www.helpguide.org/articles/therapy-medication/support-
groups.htm#:~:text=a%20support%20group-
,What%20is%20a%20support%20group%3F,receive%20the%20same%20in%20return.
(Adapted)

What is a support group?

A support group is a gathering of people facing common issues to

share what’s troubling them. Through sharing experiences,
they’re able to offer support, encouragement, and comfort to the
other group members, and receive the same in return.
When you’re going through a challenging or traumatic time,
family members and friends may sympathize, but they don’t
always know what 1……………………… say or the best ways to help.
Doctors and health professionals may sometimes offer minor
emotional support, because their primary focus 2…………………
always medical.
Support groups developed to join people together who are dealing
3…………………… similar difficult circumstances. These may be
coping with a specific medical condition, such 4………………… cancer
or dementia, a mental health issue like depression, anxiety,
bereavement, an addiction, or caring for a family member or
friend facing such problems.
What to expect from a support group
Every support group functions a little differently.
The support group has clear rules about who can attend.
Depending 5………………… the group, it could be limited only to a
specific gender, adults over 18, people dealing with a specific
challenge, or the friends and family members of those living with
a certain condition. Relatively few support groups are open to
everybody.
Experienced facilitators expect newcomers to be nervous about
6……………………… (ATTEND) a group. They’ll do their best to ease
your fears by welcoming you, ensuring you’re in the right group,
and telling you 7…………………… to expect.
The support group has some kind of structure. Typically, the
group should have a clear agenda with four basic elements: the
facilitator welcoming everyone, each participant given the
opportunity to introduce themselves, a group discussion, and the
facilitator formally announcing the end of the group meeting.
There are clear guidelines. Rules and expectations are important
to help everyone feel safe in the group. It’s common for groups
to enforce a time limit of 1-2 minutes per participant to prevent
anyone 8………………… monopolizing the conversation. Support
groups often have a “pass rule” if someone doesn’t feel like
sharing. Group members should be reminded to be respectful,
empathetic, and to maintain complete confidentiality.
The facilitator helps the group stay on track. Whether the
facilitator is a professional or a layperson, you should expect them
to be trained and capable. Capable facilitators know how to
enforce boundaries and stick to the schedule while giving each
participant a chance to speak. They’re instrumental in pulling
together common themes within the group to inspire the most
productive discussions. Emergencies can come up during group
time, and facilitators should know how to handle them
appropriately.

https://www.verywellhealth.com/support-group-5205220
(adapted)

What is a support group?

A support group, or social support group, is a group of people

who are led 1……………… a professional and come together with
the goal of overcoming or coping with a shared problem.
With the leadership of the professional, they share help, comfort,
encouragement, advice, and guidance to face their challenges
together.
The leader of the group is generally someone 2………………… is not
struggling with the problem faced by the members of the support
group and is specifically trained to provide support to them. This
is what differentiates a support group from a self-help group,
which is a group that comes together to face challenges without
a professional leader.

Support group vs. Self-help group

The primary difference between a support group and a self-help
group is that a support group is organized and facilitated by a
professional or agency. A self-help group, on the other
3…………………, is more peer-led by a group of members. A well-
known example of a self-help group is Alcoholics Anonymous
(AA).
Another difference between the two is that support groups are
generally structured with a set number of sessions, and there is
often a fee to join. Many self-help groups are free to join and do
not have a set end date. Both types of groups are beneficial in
4…………………… (PROVIDE) help to members, and the better option
depends on the specific needs of the individual seeking a group.

Challenges addressed
Support groups can be formed to address any challenge, including
physical health conditions, mental health conditions, and life
situations. They are common in helping people with mental health
issues, and the mental and emotional side of physical health
issues. There are also support groups for life transitions and other
hardships. There are support groups for adults, teens, and even
children, or children and adults together.
Support groups are generally characterized by the issues they
focus on and the people they support. For example, there may be
a support group for parents of cancer patients and another
support group for children with cancer. There may be a support
group for teens struggling with eating 5……………………… (ORDER)
and their parents, or for people facing infertility.

Examples of support groups. Focus areas

 Addiction
 Alcoholism
 Anxiety
 Cancer treatment
  Caregiving
 Child abuse recovery
 Chronic illness
 Depression
 Disabilities
 Diversity and inclusion
 Domestic violence victims
 Eating disorders
 Geographic relocation
 Grief or loss
 Infertility
 Injury recovery
 Caregivers of children with disabilities
 Pregnancy or postpartum
 Religious oppression
 Retirement
 Sexual abuse recovery
 Specific mental health condition
 Specific physical health condition
 Traumatic event recovery
 Weight loss

Now, watch this video: (7 minutes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOGnCb4GRQ0