This course will take you on a creative journey through initial considerations, setting up and holding space at the group, finding content and consideration of potential challenges.

The combination of presentation, experiential exercises, discussion and examples will hopefully leave you with clear actions to getting your group up and running.  

Counsellors and Psychotherapists have a skill set that is transferrable to facilitating support groups and this guide aims to support your professional development to facilitate a helpful supportive space for your community, There is also an opportunity to learn insights and considerations about working with grief that will hopefully aid your future client work.

Although this course is specific in content to facilitating a ‘Bereavement Support Group’, you could use the group framework and set up principals for other types of support group.

Content

Here is a list of the things covered in the course:

Chapter 1 - Initial set up of the group 

• Practical considerations: venue, duration, frequency, group type.

• Admin: including PDF contact sheet with GDPR consideration.

• Advertising the group and sending reminders.

• Ethical considerations: boundaries, confidentiality, support not therapy.

Chapter 2 - The Group Session

• Create an agenda (sample PDF included) for the group. 

• Grounding exercise (script PDF included for your use).

• Check in.

• Opening content. 

• Content: experiences, quotes, psychoeducation. 

• Closing content. 

• Grounding exercise (script PDF included for your use).

• Check out.

• Ending: reminders, next group date.

Chapter 3 - Content

• Researching your content. 

• Use of content. 

• Quotes and experiences. 

• Psychoeducation. 

• Poetry. 

• Themes - calendar-based, topics, suggestions.

Chapter 4 - Potential challenges

• Making space for everybody to talk. 

• The choice to share. 

• Managing conflict. 

• Awareness of difference and holding safe accepting space for all. 

• Safeguarding.

• Different losses.

• Dual relationships - working one to one with group attendees. 

• Managing contact between group meetings. 

• Bringing the group to an end - another loss. 

Chapter 5 - Resources

• References.

• Bibliography. 

• Contact details. 

At the end of each chapter, there will be a task to complete. These tasks will encourage self-reflection, help set up your group and aim to prepare you for potential challenges or ethical dilemmas.

With this course, you will get:

• A 1 hour 20 minute video presentation, discussion and examples.

• 38 slides, including signposting for content resources.

• 2 PDF scripts for opening and closing grounding exercises.

• A PDF sample group agenda.

• A PDF sample contact sheet .

• 5 exercises to encourage self-reflection, research and preparation.

• Certificate for total of 5 hours CPD (please note this is for attendance, not competence or qualification)

• Read terms and conditions below:

• Course terms and conditions