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I live in northern Louisiana and much to my dismay there are no support groups for adoptees in my area. I am currently in the brainstorming stage of figuring out how to start a local support group.
Does anyone have any advice? Do you think it would be best to be led by a mental health professional or would it suffice to be led by a member of the adotion triad?
I've got so many ideas floating around in my head but I'd love if anybody has any recommendations about starting the group. How to find meeting places, publicize the group, how to conduct a group, etc.
Thank you in advance for any advice/suggestions you can offer.
Peace & love
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Putting together an adoption group sounds great. It's hard to offer help and support because it is difficult to know how much planning has already taken place.For your evaluation, here are some basic suggestions in three areas of consideration as a part of the planning.The first stage is some form of article or notice in a church bulletin or other media to find out how much interest there is in forming a group of this type. A part of that first article would be the information concerning how often the group will meet and where. Many churches will provide a meeting room without charge.Advertising for the meeting could be in the Church Bulletin. A meeting date of 2nd or third week on a Tuesday or Thursday night may work well.If a church meeting room is not possible, maybe a meeting room at a cafeteria or other small restaurant would also work.Secondly, what is the focus of the group---b-moms, adoptees, etc?The third portion includes what the long term plans are for the group. Will the meeting be free-style in which group members offer support and share stories, or will there be professional speakers who will provide help in areas of grief, loss, depression, etc? Some churches will allow hanging posters in various activities spaces or under new activities in the church or perhaps the Pastor would be willing to mention the group in his sermon.I wish you the best.
I have been trying to start one in Atlanta for the longest time. I went on FB to the Global Korean Adoptee group and messaged all those in the Atlanta area...(took me about two hours to go through them all). We have about five members...hopefully we will grow. We started with four and one came in through a referral!!! so there is opportunity here. I am going to create a LARGER group of "Adoptees" and not limit it to "korean" once the Korean group gets off the ground.
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