As a member of the group, I understand that it is my responsibility:

1. to be present each week, to be on time, to stay throughout the entire meeting, and to inform the group of projected absences.
2. to be open and honest and work actively on the problems that brought me to group... to put my thoughts and feelings into words, not actions.
3. to use the relationships made in the group therapeutically, not socially.
4. to consider all communications between group members, in or outside of group, as potentially valuable "group material."
5. to attend all sessions alcohol and drug free, and neither eat nor smoke during the group.
6. to be fully present in all sessions regardless of whether they are in - person or virtual, and refrain from using a cell phone or other technology to check text messages, emails, social media, etc.
7. to stay in the group until I finish the work I came to do, and when I think the time has come to leave the group, to let the group participate in the decision to leave and to leave time to say good bye.
8. to be responsible for my bill, paying at the time of each session and paying for missed sessions.
9. to keep the identities of group members confidential.

 

The purpose of the group is:

• To talk about my thoughts and feelings towards other group members and to try to understand the origins of what is getting stirred up by these interactions, focusing on the here and now and how I am relating to other members.
• To understand other members and to put that understanding about each other into words.
• To tell the emotionally significant events of my life, not the "stories."
• To take my fair share of the total talking time and to be aware of the participation of other members.

I have reviewed and understand these guidelines.