Discussion 03: Group Development & Therapeutic Factors

@ASilentObserver

Discussion: Share your experience of how you applied one of the Yalom Therapeutic Factors in the Group Support Room.

Instills hope - I will often share myself in LSC and try to show examples of positive experiences, especially ones that I've had with members. It can be easy to get lost in the negative aspects of cups and the sharing circle is for sharing those moments too but in order for thr group to remain a nice space it's important that people hear good things too!

@ASilentObserver Share your experience of how you applied one of the Yalom Therapeutic Factors in the Group Support Room.

1. Development of socialization techniques: The group setting is a great place to practice new behaviors. The setting is safe and supportive, allowing group members to experiment without the fear of failure. Develop a sense of accountability and celebrate small and big wins to boost confidence

In group support chats people usually share their experiences and it is good to know information about people across the world. we can help each other out by sharing our thoughts and opinions on a certain topic and can improve themselves in certain areas

@ASilentObserver

Discussion:
your experience of how you applied one of the Yalom Therapeutic Factors in the Group Support Room.

• INSTILLING HOPE

I think this one applies to me the most. The importance of being able to understand someone's feelings and experiencing them as your own.

I often know how people feel cause i suffered from major depressive disorder which involves so many feelings at once that i cant even list all of them.

Hope is one thing we should never give up,i was at my lowest and thats what saved me. Bringing hope to others leaves my heart full of love and happiness.

Hope never left me and lifted me up and im trying my best to give them others.

Hope can be the most important factor in life💛

@ASilentObserver

Discussion: Share your experience of how you applied one of the Yalom Therapeutic Factors in the Group Support Room.

There are a wide range of factors that contribute towards the running and overall direction in a chat room depending on the nature of the room.

- Welcoming Members: This is a key factor that shows the member that entered and all current users you are friendly and approachable and makes the individual feel noticed and inclusive to the room.

- Active: Being an active icon in the room so build rapport with members and fellow listeners, building a friendly atmosphere can make a difference between a smooth-running room and one that could potentially turn abusive.

- On Task: If the chat seems mixed in nature and not on topic, we can gently steer the conversation to meet the expectations of the room, whilst also making sure everyone is inclusive, giving your own perspective and opinion will drive conversation as members begin to know who the leaders are which can be influential, whilst also being firm that you are involved just as much as they are and are open to what they want to discuss and share.

- Problem Solving: Chat Rooms can quickly become abusive; risk factors can enter a chat room at any given moment that may jeopardise the policies and structures of the room, and we need to be on hand and alert to attempt to resolve conflict or contact a moderator if needed.

- Activity: If conversation is dying out, it is our focus to keep conversation active, interesting and appropriate, if these fail, this can lead to members saying "I'm going now", and bare in mind, members may actually just have to leave, but they could also find the activity in the room boring, so keep conversation moving, keep active and ensure everyone is included, because EVERYONE matters.

- Isolation: Have you ever (I have personally) entered the chat room and not been welcomed, posted messages and received no reply? I have and it is a horrible feeling, especially when that is the general treatment I get in my real life, it can lead to isolation, withdrawal not only from the room, but from 7 cups as a whole, look out for signs, if you notice someone speaking, acknowledge them, invite other members to contribute to acknowledging the member(s) and maybe get involved in answering.

As leaders, it is our responsibility to ensure these things happen, we make the difference between 7 cups growing or ultimately failing, and failure isn't an option, this isn't the real-life world, this is 7 cups where everyone is included, loved and a part of a great caring community.

I really struggled writing this, so please accept my apologies for spelling errors :)

1 Group cohesiveness

I think I can do this by welcoming and Including everyone when new listeners come in. For new listeners give them the new listener primer and make them feel welcomed.

Development of socialization techniques: I would be a role model on how to act in listener rooms.

Imparting information

Community is important, and as highlighted in the "transition" stage of group development, it is vitial to gain the trust and respect of sub-community members in the chatroom settings. Due to this, I've tried my best to use Yalom's imparting information to bridge new connections. This is done by sharing similar lived experiences and helps bring out the compassionate and understanding you have for community members. For the listener room/track, I have applied this by reaffirming with listeners that their journey is unique to them and that I've also been in their same shoes of feeling lost, frustrated, or concerned when I first started the site. We all grow with time.

@ASilentObserver

Share your experience of how you applied one of the Yalom Therapeutic Factors in the Group Support Room

I think I applied or experienced a bit of all the principles. But what I feel I learned the most is altruism, because being in support rooms has helped me to empathize with others.

Discussion: Share your experience of how you applied one of the Yalom Therapeutic Factors in the Group Support Room.

- One of the Yalom Therapeutic Factors I've applied in the Group Support Room is Universality. "Being part of a group of people who have the same experiences helps people see that what they are going through is universal and that they are not alone." This is very true, I've witnessed a very inclusive and trusting energy within a group session when everyone expresses their different backgrounds and walks of life, but share similar experiences. Whether the person is near by or in sight, support and unity can still be felt in a group striving to progress through similar experiences

@ASilentObservent

I have applied most of them but one I have done the most is Universality. For me A deep connection with something with another person is really important. We can help each other and listen to Eachother and know that neither person is alone on that problem. For example I’ve had a friend on here who has been in foster care for a while and I did my best to help her and listen to her as she told us stories about it but I never actually was in her shoes till a few months ago and now we are both together in this and we know how hard it is to be in foster care and we have been able to have a deep connection knowing that neither one of us is alone. This happened again a little later when I was able to support someone else who had joined foster care and we were able to have a deep connection with eacher other and we really got what one emptier was going through.

@ASilentObserver

Hello 🙂

(Discussion: Share your experience of how you applied one of the Yalom Therapeutic Factors in the Group Support Room.)

The Yalom Therapeutic Factor I have picked -

' Universality: Being part of a group of people who have the same experiences helps people see that what they are going through is universal and that they are not alone. They develop a sense of belonging and feeling of part of the community. '

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The way in which this was applied was by setting a Banner for a "check in" how everyone was feeling, how their day had been. When everyone came together to share, there was lots of people who related to eachother, and could share they had felt the same way. Each member of the chat were very supportive and understanding, and experiences were shared and everyone felt less alone. These moments are so important I believe to develop senses of belonging and being a part of a community that understand, cares and you can relate to.

Tabby