Simple Steps for Starting Your Own Women’s Group
In Part 1 of “A Women’s Support Group,” I talked about the benefits of participating in a women’s support group. (Read Part 1 here.) In Part 2, I’m providing 5 steps to help you get started on your own women’s group:
- Think of 4 or 5 people you would like to spend time with to give and get support.
- If you can’t think of 4 or 5, call someone from your shortlist who may know a couple more supportive women. My group works well with five people and we finish the group in an hour. You may want to start with fewer or more women, and your group may shrink or grow over time.
- Send out an invitation by email, text or phone call. Explain how the group would work (see my notes in Part 1), and warmly invite your potential members to join the group. Probably some women will want this kind of experience and others won’t. Don’t take their answers personally.
- Thank the women who are willing to try this group, and send out some possible times when the group might meet. It may take a few rounds before you find a time that works for everybody. Our group likes to keep the same time every week, but every once in a while we change the time to accommodate an unusual situation. Additionally, your group may want to meet every week, every other week, or on some other time schedule that works for all of you.
Ask someone with experience to set up Zoom and get everyone up to speed on how to use Zoom
Now, you’re ready to enjoy your first meeting. As with any new group, it takes time to coalesce and feel truly comfortable with each other. Making all the positive, supportive remarks helps the trust build. Give yourselves time to experience the full benefits of your new group.
If what I shared appeals to you, and if you have needs for connection and support, I encourage you to start a women’s group of your own. You can contact me if you have questions about any of this.
Leave a Reply