Better Together: Male Support Group

Better Together: Men's Support Group is a weekly group program created to bring men together in a healthy and supportive environment in order to receive group support with individual and social issues while exploring what it means to be a man in today's world.  

Some Backstory

Nowadays the world seems to be changing rapidly.  Everything about our lives is constantly being affected and redefined.  What it means to be a man today may not be the same as it meant ten years ago or even a year ago.  With all of the social changes, personal shifts, and causes for anxiety it's almost instincive for us to further isolate ourselves in order to feel as though we have control over some parts of our lives.  The isolation however is the product of a viscious circle which further feeds into the anxiety producing machine that promotes feelings of mistrust, fear, and ulimately burns away at our social identity.  It also eats away at our mental health and we find ourselves feeling not just strangers to people around us but to our families, friends, and even ourselves.  

Social support groups are a healthy response to these shifts and aim to faciliate enviornments in which different perspectives may be shared around issues we have in common.  Groups also offer a chance for voices to be heard which are often overshadowed by the sensational chatter promoted by mass media.  Groups allow for your voice to be heard without threatening judgment in an unbiased container thats sole purpose is to promote healthier relationships across the board.  That includes relationships with our nations, our cities, our coworkers, our loved ones, and ourselves.  

Some of the many benefits of attending support groups include:

• Improved social support
• Improved sense of self
• Improved relationships
• Larger social network
• Reduced overall stress 
• Improved emotional intelligence
• Improved communication

What is lacking in support groups are groups focused on promoting emotional well-being for men.  This is primarily due to a historical attitude that men don't do have time for talk, thoughts, and feelings.  As that attitude shifts overtime there is a increasing recognition that men with support from other men are more open to talking about their concerns and getting feedback on how to make changes for the better.  We aim to faciliate a healthy and inclusive space for every man to come, be heard,  gain more perspective on how to navigate life's challenges as a man, and step into his most authentic self.  We aim to do this through offering structured support group programs such as the one outlined below.  

Program Outline

The program is scheduled by seasons, which are periods of 11 weeks.  Each week during this period the group meets one evening out of the week for 90 minutes in order to discuss ideas, share feelings, and get feedback around indivdidual topics that relate to being a man including, but not limited to, fatherhood, being a husband, being a son, being a brother, having a purpose, and what it means to idenify as a male.  There are 10 weekly in-person meetings (online, if needed) and a Retreat Day scheduled for the duration of the season.  Attending all meetings is not a requirement though there is much more reward in doing your best to have the full experience as each season has a beginning, middle, and end giving it the most often overlooked aspect of therapeutic activities, closure.  

Each meeting starts with a brief check-in from each member of the group followed by a presencing activity (e.g. mindful movement, meditation, breathwork, or exercise).  After the warm-up is complete we move onto the next phase of the meeting which is to introduce the topic of discussion and open up space for each and every member to share their thoughts.  Some parameters of sharing, giving, and receiving feedback will be implemented in order to keep a certain structure to the conversations.   These "rules of the road" will be reviewed and solidified by the group upon the first meeting and used to hold each person accountable for the remainder of the season.  

Participants in 6 or more meetings may elect to submit an evaluation of the program in order to better the faciliation of future sessions.  Participants may elect to keep coming to sessions after attending one season yet the closure of the group for each season offers an opportunity to move on from the group with a feeling of completeness.  

All meetings are expected to take place at the... House for Wellness 769 Meeting Street A Charleston, SC 29403 The first season will start on Thursday March 9th from 6:00pm - 7:30pm.   Each meeting lasts for approximately 90 minutes.  The following dates  correspond to the additional meeting times: March 16th March 23rd March 30th April 6th April 13th (Off for Retreat Day between April 9th - 15th) April 20th April 27th May 4th May 11th May 18th

Meeting capacity is set to a 10 person maximum.  There are no fees required for this program but $5 - $10 weekly donations are accepted with much gratitude for being able to host the meetings. Register now and reserve your spot in the group today!