support groups - professionally facilitated or peer-led?
I just started participating in a support group a few weeks ago. There just was not one available to me before now. I'm really glad I got the opportunity to participate because I'm finding it really helpful.
We had a great discussion tonight and after the meeting, I got online and saw someone had posted about something goofy a nurse had said at her support group. This got me to thinking. (I know, I can't quit!) There have been several times I've seen someone post about something a nurse or dietician said at a support group meeting that was just completely untrue. Now, I am sure that nurses and dieticians and other professionals say all kinds of smart and accurate and helpful things at support group meetings all the time. But occasionally they don't.
To be named a Center of Excellence, a bariatric practice must offer professionally facilitated support groups for patients. I can see all kinds of benefits to having a professional facilitate the group meetings.
My support group, though, is not professionally facilitated. It's peer-led. Members take turns facilitating the group each week. I'm seeing a lot of benefits to that, too. Right now, I think I like it better this way.
What are your thoughts? If you go to a support group, is it professionally facilitated? Anyone tried both kinds of groups? Which did you like better?
We had a great discussion tonight and after the meeting, I got online and saw someone had posted about something goofy a nurse had said at her support group. This got me to thinking. (I know, I can't quit!) There have been several times I've seen someone post about something a nurse or dietician said at a support group meeting that was just completely untrue. Now, I am sure that nurses and dieticians and other professionals say all kinds of smart and accurate and helpful things at support group meetings all the time. But occasionally they don't.
To be named a Center of Excellence, a bariatric practice must offer professionally facilitated support groups for patients. I can see all kinds of benefits to having a professional facilitate the group meetings.
My support group, though, is not professionally facilitated. It's peer-led. Members take turns facilitating the group each week. I'm seeing a lot of benefits to that, too. Right now, I think I like it better this way.
What are your thoughts? If you go to a support group, is it professionally facilitated? Anyone tried both kinds of groups? Which did you like better?
Kelly
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
I'm sure you all find this hard to believe, but I am not very good at biting my tongue. If I had been able to go to my surgeon's support groups (couldn't make a six hour round trip for a 90 minute meeting), I wonder if the nurse or whomever would have kicked me out?
Kelly
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
I would like to find a different group, but mine is professionally led. We go around and say hi and how much we lost once a month, then get lectured for an hour. I've received some info that conflicts with what my doctor says, which concerned me.
I consider this my peer-level support, and LOVE it. Much more than my once a month.
I consider this my peer-level support, and LOVE it. Much more than my once a month.
SW 343, Current below, Goal 160 & to start a family!
You start off with everyone saying how much you've lost?
My first thought about that was, oh god, that's awful. Maybe it's not awful. Maybe it would feel awful to me but feel fine to others. I think my first thought about it was everyone comparing themselves to each other and people being afraid to even go to group if they hadn't lost much weight that month. Is it like that? I sure hope it's not.
What do you get lectured about? Do you get support too?
My first thought about that was, oh god, that's awful. Maybe it's not awful. Maybe it would feel awful to me but feel fine to others. I think my first thought about it was everyone comparing themselves to each other and people being afraid to even go to group if they hadn't lost much weight that month. Is it like that? I sure hope it's not.
What do you get lectured about? Do you get support too?
Kelly
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
I have attened the pro one at my surgeons office and it was fun. We as a group talked about our surgeries and concerns. There were staff from the office there to answer our questions. Which as you may remember the one lady was not correct on a few things and the dietician backed those of us when we did have the right info. BUt I hear it is not always like this. As this months is about working out and they are going to have a trainer come in and talk to us about exercise.
Some of us here on OH are going to meet soon and start our own group. Just us so it wil be a peer group and I can not wait to get the first one underway.
Some of us here on OH are going to meet soon and start our own group. Just us so it wil be a peer group and I can not wait to get the first one underway.
Come visit me on my blog: http://apeekintomytreehouse.com/
Start weight 282, Surgery weight 265, Current weight 131, Goal weight 140
Start weight 282, Surgery weight 265, Current weight 131, Goal weight 140
A woman is like a tea bag - you can't tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water. Eleanor Roosevelt
I'm glad yours was fun. I do think inviting different speakers would be a helpful thing.
Do you feel like the group is mostly about education about WLS or about emotional support? It seems like most support groups, at least the professionally facilitated ones, try to do both those things but they are kinda different things. I wonder how many groups are good at doing both in one meeting?
Do you feel like the group is mostly about education about WLS or about emotional support? It seems like most support groups, at least the professionally facilitated ones, try to do both those things but they are kinda different things. I wonder how many groups are good at doing both in one meeting?
Kelly
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
I think that with my pro group the office staff does the educational part then steps back and lets the group itself deal with each others emotional part. There were alot of pre-ops last time and only a few of us post ops. We were laying fears and myths to rest for the pre op. Which was nice had a few tears but all in all everyone was feeling good when we left.
i think where they staff falls short with the emotional part in most cases is because they don't truly know how it feels to be a post op. They can only give the facts not the feelings that go along with the surgeries.
i think where they staff falls short with the emotional part in most cases is because they don't truly know how it feels to be a post op. They can only give the facts not the feelings that go along with the surgeries.
Come visit me on my blog: http://apeekintomytreehouse.com/
Start weight 282, Surgery weight 265, Current weight 131, Goal weight 140
Start weight 282, Surgery weight 265, Current weight 131, Goal weight 140
A woman is like a tea bag - you can't tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water. Eleanor Roosevelt
I have attended both kinds. There are advantages and disadvantages to both depending on the knowledge level and "skill" of the people involved. As a counselor, I find the "lecture" type professionally led support groups (which is what my hospital offers) totally lacking in actual support. Often, however, peer led groups don't have enough people with enough knowledge to properly address questions... so that can be just as bad.
The ideal, IMO of course, would be a group led by a mental health professional (counselor, psychologist, or even social worker) who is actually GOOD at leading support groups (not everyone knows how to properly handle a group opr is good at it) and knows how to structure a group so that it has a good balance of education and support. One of my goals... I already have a lot of experience with group work for sexual assault and domestic violence victims... but until my "ABD" changes to "PhD" no one in my area will even entertain evaluating how the "support" groups could be improved.
Lora
The ideal, IMO of course, would be a group led by a mental health professional (counselor, psychologist, or even social worker) who is actually GOOD at leading support groups (not everyone knows how to properly handle a group opr is good at it) and knows how to structure a group so that it has a good balance of education and support. One of my goals... I already have a lot of experience with group work for sexual assault and domestic violence victims... but until my "ABD" changes to "PhD" no one in my area will even entertain evaluating how the "support" groups could be improved.
Lora
14 years out; 190 pounds lost, 165 pound loss maintained
You don't drown by falling in the water. You drown by staying there.
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