Spiritual Support Group for Mental Health and Wellness Guidelines

1. We honor each others’ presence and therefore we listen carefully to one another.

2. Allow each person time and opportunity to express himself or herself before anyone speaks twice.

3. It is OK to stay silent. You can say “pass” at any time.

4. Share feelings as well as thoughts including personal insights about your spiritual experiences.

5. Our main purpose is not to resolve difficulties but rather to listen, support and comfort each other. Any wisdom that emerges belongs to the group.

6. We encourage the use of “I” statements which allows us to share our experiences and what we have learned, not as to offer advice to others, but to indicate some paths that may have been helpful as well as what has not been helpful.

7. We are open to the expressions of how one’s faith or spirituality has been a help and/or a hindrance. This group welcomes all faith traditions or none, and welcomes everyone’s understanding/experience of spirituality.

8. We agree that everyone has something of value to share with the group, if they so choose, so that no one person monopolizes the time.

9. Confidentiality is maintained in the group. You cannot share whatever a person says here anywhere else.

10. We seek to provide a safe environment in which a person can share without judgment.

11. If a person needs to leave the meeting at anytime, they are free to do so.

12. We begin and end on time.

December 2012