Question:
Does anyone have any suggestions on how to start a support group for WLS?

I would like to start a support group for people who have had wls, people who want to have wls, people who might not even know anything about wls and last but most important for teenagers who need people to talk to. Somewhere they can go where they can feel safe and be able to talk to people about being obese. I know if I would have had something like that when I was younger it would have helped me a lot.    — fun101777 (posted on March 15, 2004)

March 16, 2004
Hi there. The first thing would be to do a 'needs assessment' and scour your community/county and the nearby area to see what's already in place. Is there already a bariatric program that offers support services? Is there an informal WLS group that already meets? Find out what's available. Then if you see a need that's not being filled, narrow down what kind of group you would like to put in place. You mentioned several different kinds of potential consumers-- those that have had or want to have WLS, those that don't know about WLS, teenagers in need of support, and anyone who is obese and wants to talk about it in a safe environment (like OA?). One group could not possibly cover the needs of all these different types of people. Consider whether you want to run the group yourself, or if you would prefer to find someone to lead it and you just participate as a member. You could also search for peers on this site, and contact anyone who lives near you. See if there is anyone interested in working along with you. As a social worker, I've been organizing and running groups for 10+ years, and last year when I found that my county didn't have any WLS support services, I started it! If I can help in the future, feel free to email me. Good luck!
   — inkychick