What is the Peer Support Group?
At the Peer Support Group you will be able to get together with other people in similar situations to support one another in a safe and non-judgemental space. Meeting other people with complex emotional needs can be hugely validating and help to reduce feelings of stigma, isolation and shame.
What people said about it...
“I’ve found my people”.
“People have been accepting of me as I am, where I am at without telling me there’s something wrong with me that I need to fix”.
Who is the group for?
Anyone who would like to connect with likeminded people with similar struggles. Often people can go for years without meeting anyone like them and so the impact of meeting others cannot be underestimated:
“I’ve never met people Complex Emotional Needs before and so I feel validated in this group. I don’t have to explain myself. I feel understood and not judged” (Previous group participant).
How long does the group last?
The group runs weekly in four-week blocks, and you are invited to attend up to 12 sessions. Every four weeks new people may join the group. Each of the sessions lasts for 2 hours and includes a short break.
Where will the group take place?
The group will take place in-person in community locations across Bristol, North Somerset & South Gloucestershire. The Sequoia staff member you meet with will give you details of where your nearest group takes place.
How many people will be in the group?
Each group will have between 4 and 12 people. Two members of our team will facilitate the group; a mix of trained staff & staff with lived experience. Sometimes trainees may observe to learn to become facilitators. We will tell you in advance if there will be any trainees observing.
What will be expected of me?
We will encourage you to take part as much as possible, although you will never be put on the spot and asked to speak. To benefit, it is important to attend as many sessions as possible. If you miss the first two weeks, we may ask that you wait for the next block of four weeks to start before you can attend. As the group is likely to run into lunch time, we encourage you to bring a packed lunch to the session each week.
What does the group involve?
We will help the group to set its own ground rules (to ensure safety) and aims (so that we have a focus). You will then be able to suggest topics that you would like to base group discussions on during future weeks. Previous topics have included self-esteem, coping strategies and how to be positive about the future with a diagnosis of Complex Emotional Needs.
Each week we will:
- Start with teas, coffees and biscuits;
- Briefly revisit the group ground rules and aims;
- Have a quick 'check-in';
- Have group discussions based around 2 topics;
- End with a grounding exercise;
- Have an additional 30 minutes after the group for anyone who needs to decompress.
What if I feel nervous about group work?
It is perfectly natural to feel nervous about meeting a group of new people and sharing your problems with them. All group members are there to learn new ways of coping and discuss their experiences. Group members are discouraged from sharing personal information or discussing historic abuse or trauma (or any other sensitive subject which may trigger others) during the group. People are asked to describe their problems in a broad manner and discussing incidents such as self-harm, is against the group rules.
Research has shown that working in a group with others who have similar experiences or similar areas of difficulties, has very beneficial outcomes. Everything in the group is kept confidential and the group leaders are there to monitor and support the group.