Thank you for your interest in attending or starting a SELF-PARENTING Support Group. If there is no registered group in your area then we are providing you these guidelines for starting your own meeting.

IMPORTANT: If you would like to be listed as a support group leader in your city please let us know. Contact the SELF-Parenting Program for further guidelines or information.

You may already be familiar with one of many types of support groups (ACA, OA, NA, AA, etc.). However, SELF-PARENTING Support Groups follow a new format for a new purpose, to furnish a support system for people practicing daily sessions of positive Self-Parenting with their Inner Child. Beginning support groups have often consisted of friends who have read and benefited from the SELF-PARENTING book who simply wanted to share their insights. Early meetings have even been as small as three or four people!

A SELF-PARENTING Support Group can be easily formed by any group of committed participants. Committed in this case means that each group member is willing to meet for a minimum of four sessions and that each person is willing to practice the half-hour sessions each day. Not only does this commitment build trust and intimacy within the group, but each person promises their Inner Child that they will follow through with daily sessions as an Inner Parent. Incidentally, newcomers should be admitted only at the first meeting each month because newcomer doubts or non-commitment have been found to interfere with the growth and sharing of the practicing support group members during the second, third, or fourth meetings.

Preparation:

Each new group member will need a book by the first meeting.

Each meeting is based on a simple four-week format of sharing & reading, questions and homework. In the intimate environment of a support group, this format is a very “deep” introduction to the practice of positive Self-Parenting.

Meeting One:

Sharing: The first meeting of the month serves as a “getting to know you” and “introduction to Self-Parenting” meeting for participants. Each member introduces themselves and gives some back ground on their personal journey. The format for the next three weeks is discussed and any questions answered. Ideally, each member would have read the book through at least Chapter Eight before this meeting.

Reading: Group members read Chapter Nine out loud.

Questions: Any questions about session procedures are asked and discussed based on the reading.

Homework: Each person makes their commitment to themselves and the group and begins practicing the sessions from Week One the very next morning.