Sharing in Open Share Group and Step Study Group

Is passing on sharing OK?

Open Share Groups:

Open Share groups do not require an individual to share. Although we encourage everyone to take a turn and share, we must allow new participants the time they need to build trust. When a participant attends regularly and does not share as a leader invite them to sit with you at your coffee shop and get to know them. Many participants come from a background where he/she were ridiculed anytime they spoke. Encourage him/her to take a baby step. Suggest to the participant to simply share, "I'm glad to be here tonight", and thank you for letting me share." For some it takes hearing their own voice out loud without ridicule to begin opening up for the first time.

Step Study Groups:

When participants join a step study, they are saying they are ready to participant. As a leader, when sharing the expectations for participants, be positive. Discuss the benefits and explain that the format and expectations are all geared towards ensuring the group is safe and productive for everyone. When participants do not share, this causes others to feel unsafe. A participant who is being vulnerable shares and when another does not share it creates uncertainty. In addition, participants will get more out of the program if they write out their answers a head of time. However, if they don’t, they must still share based on what I have explained above. As a leader I would speak individually to those participants who never write out their answers, find out why, and offer to help them. Typically there is specific reason why a participant does not write out his/her answers.

For a leaders script to help you explain step study group expectations see March 6, 2007 posting.