Tool 1: Role Play Scenarios
This tool was adapted from The Self-Help Leader's Handbook: Leading Effective Meetings by Adrienne L. Paine, Yolanda Suarez-Balcazar, Stephen B. Fawcett, and Leslie Borck Jameson, with the collaboration of Melody G. Embree.
Working with one or more partners, role play these scenarios, with one of you acting out the part of the support group facilitator and any others acting out the roles of support members.
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During a support group meeting for people who are experiencing stress in the workplace, one member is talking about having difficulties communicating with her supervisor. The facilitator should try to elicit supportive responses from other members.
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You are involved in a support group for people who have suffered severe spinal cord injuries. One member, who uses a wheelchair, is talking about how hard it is to find an apartment in town that is accessible. The facilitator should try to elicit supportive responses from other members.
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In a support group for family members of alcoholics, a member is talking about how she is upset that her husband won't get help for his drinking problem, and she is concerned that he will hurt their children. The other members are not providing support. The facilitator should try to elicit supportive responses from other members.
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In a support group for people who have lost a child in drunk driving accidents, one member is talking about the difficulties her other children have had after her daughter's death. The other members have been supportive, but none have talked about their own relevant personal experiences. The facilitator should try to get other members to start talking about these experiences.
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You are involved in a support group for women who have experienced breast cancer. One member has recently found a lump in her breast but has not seen a doctor about it. The facilitator should try to get other members to offer supportive comments and encouragement for her to seek medical attention without being coercive or condescending.
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In a support group for survivors of rape, one member has been talking about having flashbacks and other problems that make you suspect she may be suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. She may need more help than the group is able to provide. The facilitator should try to find a way to talk to her about getting some professional counseling help.
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In a support group for older people dealing with debilitating illnesses, one member has repeatedly brought up irrelevant topics, attempted to keep all the group discussions focused on himself, and interrupted other members when they try to talk. The facilitator should try to redirect the discussion and directly deal with this member's disruptive behavior.
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In a support group for parents of adolescents, one father is talking about how he suspects his son is drinking. Other members have been suggesting ways he can deal with it, but he has rejected every suggestion for one reason or another. The facilitator should try to find some way of dealing with the member's inflexibility and of moving the discussion along.