Support Group Benefits & Helpful Tolls
Support group counselors : Counselors/facilitator sometimes work with a group of people (support group) to help idenitfy problem issues and direct members towards understanding and personal wellness.
Why Attend a Support Group Meeting?
The purpose of a support group is sharing with and supporting another for the mutual benefit of the total group. Some elements of a support group are:
- Active, involved listening to others
- Providing an atmosphere where positive and negative views can be expressed without being judged or labeled
- An atmosphere that promotes a sense of caring
- An opportunity to identify needs and to problem solve with others
- Providing an atmosphere to explore inner feelings
- An awareness of common needs and strengths
- Receiving and giving opportunities for others to be understood
- A place to find courage and to take risks
- Education and information is shared among the group
The Brain Injury Group is for everyone who has a brain injury, their family, caregivers, and friends.support group is for everyone who has a brain injury, their family, caregivers, and friends.
Group Meetings: 7:00PM
Second (2nd) Thursday of the month...
United Auto Workers Local 974
3025 Springfield Rd. East Peoria IL 61611
Chris Hess 309-565-0115
Benefits of brain injury support groups
Healthy support groups offer a variety of benefits, from the emotional to the practical. The benefits of support groups include:
- Making connections. Meeting others survivors and family members may make you feel less alone or isolated. A safe and welcoming environment, filled with compassion and understanding, can also reduce any stigma you may feel over having brain injury.
- Improving your coping skills. Support groups offer the chance to draw on collective experiences. Others who have "been there" may have tips or advice about coping with your condition that hasn't occurred to you. Brainstorming with others may inspire even more ideas.
- Getting motivated. Support groups can encourage you to seek professional treatment if you haven't yet. They also may encourage you to take a more active role in your treatment or stick to your treatment plan when you feel like giving up. And they may help you tap into community resources, such as housing or transportation assistance.
- Finding hope. Sharing experiences and making connections can make you feel better about life in general. Seeing others make strides dealing with a brain injury may give you hope about your own future.
You may be nervous about sharing personal issues with people you don't know. So at first, you may reap benefits from a support group simply by listening. Over time, though, contributing your own ideas and experiences can help you get more out of a support group.
CHOOSING A SUPPORT GROUP
People helping people to help themselvesConsumer-Run, Self-Help Support Groups
Offer Many Benefits
How to Starta Brain Injury Support Group
A very good source to the tools for a Brain Injury Support Group!
Pittsburgh Area Brain Injury Alliance
Support Group Tools
Support group benefitsPeople with chronic medical conditions — cancer or mental illness, for example — can benefit from attending support groups. You may also find a support group helpful if you've been a victim of abuse or crime, you're battling addiction, or you're caring for a special needs child or elderly parent. Attending a support group isn't mandatory and not everyone wants or needs support beyond their family and friends. Depending on your circumstances, however, it may be helpful to turn to others outside your immediate circle for help. You may feel less alone with your situation when talking with people who face or have faced similar challenges. In a support group, you'll find people with problems similar to yours. Group members will offer you emotional support, practical information and tips on how to cope with your unique situation. The key is finding a group that matches your needs — and personality. |
Support groups - A critical factor for all forms of support is education: Support mechanisms cannot be put in place if people don't see the need. And even if the benefit of a particular service is recognized, it has to be deemed worthy of investment. Because brain injuries manifest themselves in individualized ways, support mechanisms should be flexible. Support groups are an excellent way to connect with others who have experienced brain injury. A variety of online services also exist, and they can provide a connection to resources in your community. The Brain Injury Association of America (www.biausa.org) is a good central source of information on such opportunities, as well as on other matters of importance to patients and their families. |
Support groups: Find information,
Support group benefitsPeople with chronic medical conditions — cancer or mental illness, for example — can benefit from attending support groups. You may also find a support group helpful if you've been a victim of abuse or crime, you're battling addiction, or you're caring for a special needs child or elderly parent. Attending a support group isn't mandatory and not everyone wants or needs support beyond their family and friends. Depending on your circumstances, however, it may be helpful to turn to others outside your immediate circle for help. You may feel less alone with your situation when talking with people who face or have faced similar challenges. In a support group, you'll find people with problems similar to yours. Group members will offer you emotional support, practical information and tips on how to cope with your unique situation. The key is finding a group that matches your needs — and personality. |
Support groups - A critical factor for all forms of support is education: Support mechanisms cannot be put in place if people don't see the need. And even if the benefit of a particular service is recognized, it has to be deemed worthy of investment. Because brain injuries manifest themselves in individualized ways, support mechanisms should be flexible. Support groups are an excellent way to connect with others who have experienced brain injury. A variety of online services also exist, and they can provide a connection to resources in your community. The Brain Injury Association of America (www.biausa.org) is a good central source of information on such opportunities, as well as on other matters of importance to patients and their families. |
http://www.biail.org/
info@biail.org
(312) 726-5699 or 800-699-6443