Leading a support group can seem like an overwhelming task, but follow along with this simple checklist to cover all of the administrative tasks, and it will run much smoother down the road.

[1] Purpose of the group. Write a mission statement of 1-2 sentences so you are clear on the goal of your group.

[2] Group’s description: Clearly state what problem people are coping with and how your support group will you help fix the problem or at least encourage them.

[3] Personal motivations. Why do you feel called to lead this group? Make sure it’s something you want to do, not something you’re being pressured into or because you are seeking personal glory.

[4] Approval. Do you need to seek formal approval from an organization, church, or company, that you are leading the group on behalf of?

[5] Group’s life expectancy. What do you see as the life of your group? Do you hope it will meet indefinitely until the need fades away, growing and changing as members define it? Or would you rather ask that people commit to the group for a certain amount of time, like four months, and then recommit if they still want to attend?

[6] Frequency of meetings. How often do you want to meet? Weekly, bi-monthly, monthly? Consider the schedules of the participants. Would you rather have seventy percent show up once per month or thirty percent twice per month?

[7] Outline of the group outline. How will you fill the time? Do you want people to network with one another, work their way through a study or workbook, listen to speakers from the community, or a mixture of all of this? What do you believe your members will desire?

[8] Location. Where will your group meet? Will it be a short driving distance for most people? Is it accessible for people with disabilities? Is the atmosphere comfortable or will members feel intimidated? It the lighting good? If it’s in a large building, like a hospital, will there be signs to make sure people don’t get lost? Will a receptionist know when and where your group meets? Do they know where to park and will there be a fee for parking?

[9] Attendance. Is anyone welcome at any time or it is closed? For example, are new members welcome for a certain period of time? Is membership required in another group to attend. For example, if it’s a group that a church hosts, are you expected to attend the church?

[10] Activities. Would the group like to have special times together outside of the group? Would people want to have a picnic or get together with family of the group members? How frequently would you have these outings?

[11] Guest guidelines. May family members or friends attend a meeting? If yes, is this alright with other members? Is it approved for only certain occasions, or any time?

[12] Projects. Would your group like to help plan activities that can help others? For example, would you group want to put together gift baskets for people who are home-bound or provide a holiday party for children of parents who are going through a difficult time?

[13] Policies. Write up some basic guidelines for the group and ask other group leaders what they would suggest you include. Some basics are a statement of privacy, the assumption that everyone will be treated with respect, how conflicts will be handled, explanations about how the group will never be a forum for commercial use, etc. If you are the leader of a support group for those with illness, you may benefit from letting people know from the start how conversations about alternative treatment will be handled. Many times people want to share their most recent “cure.”

[14] Handouts. What brochures or other educational pieces will you have available? Can anyone bring handouts? Do they need approved in advance?

[15] Exchange of personal information. Do group members want their address, phone and/or emails distributed to other members as a directory to do they want it to remain private and give it out to others themselves.

[16] Promotion. What are your plans for letting people know about your group? If your group is formed under an organization, what forms of advertising are acceptable? For example, a classified in the local paper? An announcement in the calendar section of the paper? Flyers? Is there anything not allowed that you should be aware of and do the promotional pieces need approval?

[17] Media exposure. Can you write a press release? If not, be sure to find someone who can help! Explain the logistics about your group meetings, as well as the purpose for the group. If there are certain group members who may be willing to be interviewed by a journalists at some point in the future, keep that in mind.

[18] Videotaping or photos. It can be helpful to videotape the group meetings for people who are not able to attend so they can hear guest speakers, etc. Inform your attendees so they can choose to sit in view or out of view of the camera. Know when conversation is personal and the camera needs to be turned off. If you aren’t sure how you will use the tape, have participants sign a release form. Don’t post it online without permission from those who are on the tape. Are attendees comfortable having photos for the media, for example, if a journalist wants a photo of the group for a local story.

[19] What promotional items could you have to help promote your group and who could design them. You may ask those who do desktop publishing or digital scrapbooking for some assistance in designing things such as flyers, posters, business cards, and stickers.

[20] Online communication. Would your group benefit from a “hub” on the interent, where they can exchange information and encouragement? You can just use an email group to encourage one another, or you can use a social network with many options such as Ning.

[21] Online web site. Would your group benefit from having a web page where you can post a calendar of events, resource links, announcements, etc.? You can set up a web site using free blog software in just a few minutes. A web site can be a great way to share online information with your group from other organizations too. Using RSS feeds, links to online radio programs and more can quickly give your group support that you may not be able to provide.

Related Reading:

Ethics in Psychology and the Mental Health Professions: Standards and Cases (Oxford Textbooks in Clinical Psychology)Most mental health professionals and behavioral scientists enter the field with a strong desire to help others, but clinical practice and research endeavors often involve decision-making in the context of ethical ambiguity. Good intentions are important, but unfortunately, they do not always protect the practitioner and client from breaches in ethical conduct. Academics, researchers, and students also face a range of ethical challenges from the classroom to the laboratory. Now in a new expanded edition, Ethics in Psychology and the Mental Health Professions, the most widely read and cited ethics textbook in psychology, has emerged with a broadened scope extending across the mental health and behavioral science fields. The revised volume considers many of the ethical questions and dilemmas that mental health professionals encounter in their everyday practice, research, and teaching. The book has been completely updated and is now also relevant for counselors, marriage and family therapists, social workers, and psychiatrists, and includes the ethics codes of those groups as appendices. Providing both a critical assessment and elucidation of key topics in the APA's guidelines, this comprehensive volume takes a practical approach to ethics and offers constructive means for both preventing problems, recognizing, approaching, and resolving ethical predicaments. Written in a highly readable and accessible style, this new edition retains the key features which have contributed to its popularity, including hundreds of case studies that provide illustrative guidance on a wide variety of topics, including fee setting, advertising for clients, research ethics, sexual attraction, how to confront observed unethical conduct in others, and confidentiality, among others. Ethics in Psychology and the Mental Health Professions will be important reading for practitioners and students-in training.

An instructors manual is available for professors on http://www.oup.com/us/companion.websites/9780195149111

Foundations of Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing: A Clinical Approach

The 6th edition of this market-leading textbook offers a clear, straightforward way to understand the often intimidating subject of psychiatric mental health nursing. Its practical, clinical perspective and user-friendly writing style help you quickly master key concepts. Clinical chapters follow the nursing process framework and progress from theory to application with a wealth of real-world examples to prepare you for practice.

• UNIQUE! A conversational, user-friendly writing style helps you quickly grasp complex psychiatric mental health nursing concepts.






• Clinical chapters are logically and consistently organized with sections on the clinical picture, epidemiology, comorbidity, etiology, and application of the nursing process.








• Clinical chapters follow the nursing process, providing you with consistent guidelines for comprehensive assessment and intervention.








• Vignettes prepare you for real-world practice with personal, descriptive characterizations of patients with specific psychiatric disorders.








• Coverage of psychopharmacology in clinical chapters familiarizes you with specific drug treatment options, including the most commonly used drugs and important nursing considerations for their use.








• Assessment Guidelines boxes list essential guidelines for comprehensive patient assessment.








• Case Studies with Nursing Care Plans present individualized histories of patients with specific psychiatric disorders and include interventions with rationales and evaluation statements for each patient goal.








• A separate chapter on cultural implications, as well as Considering Culture boxes throughout the text, provides essential information on culture, worldviews, and techniques for providing culturally competent care.








• Coverage of treatment and recovery in the community addresses the need for successful ongoing psychiatric mental health nursing care in the community setting.




• A chapter on end-of-life care examines the psychological impact of terminal illness and death on patients, families, and nurses.

• Updated nursing process and clinical chapters keep you current with the latest ANA Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice.






• An increased focus on health promotion and recovery reflects federal, state, and local initiatives to improve screening methods, patient and family teaching, rehabilitation, and community treatment options for people who have mental illnesses.








• Enhanced Evidence-Based Practice boxes emphasize the profound impact of research-and your potential role in that process-on the advancement of psychiatric treatment options.








• A new chapter on sleep disorders covers the most common sleep disturbances and their relationships to psychiatric illness, as well as the nurse's role in their assessment and management.








• A new chapter on sexual dysfunction and sexual disorders examines the complex issue of sexual behavior and provides the information you need to conduct a sexual assessment, identify sexual dysfunctions and disorders, recognize nursing implications, and formulate interventions.

Clinical Mental Health Counseling in Community and Agency Settings (3rd Edition)

With expanded content and an emphasis on Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Programs (CACREP) standards, this user-friendly yet scholarly text again provides comprehensive coverage of all aspects of community counseling.

• Examines the many roles and functions community counselors perform, the variety of settings in which their work is done, and how that work differs from one client population to another.
• Emerging issues and trends in the field are given appropriate attention
• First-person narratives throughout the text explore specific challenges and opportunities associated with particular areas of expertise.

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