KindTree’s Peer Support Group Reveals Coping Skills
By Nel Applegate

 

I have been facilitating the KindTree Peer Support Group since 2000.
We meet at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church at 13th and Pearl in Eugene on the second Monday of every month, except August, from 4:30-6:00 pm.

 

There is an ever changing group of adults who experience spectrum issues present. The criteria to participate in the group are two fold. Participation is voluntary and you can at least sit still and listen. Some of us have been coming for the entire 11 years, and some of us came just last month. Some of us drop in when we can. Some of us have made lasting friendships and some drive from other cities. We attempt to create a confidential safe place for people to listen and speak. We have some guidelines that help us function, including being respectful, taking turns talking and of course, we only tell our own stories.

 

We usually start our group with a circle for introductions and a little sharing. Through that time, we usually come up with a topic to discuss; or, there is always a backlog of issues for fodder. For example, for two months recently, we discussed whether or not people would want to be "healed" of autism, if that were even possible. I’ll let you guess what the consensus was on that topic. The discussions were lively, to say the least.

 

Recently, we chose to brainstorm and share our coping skills. The skills we possess as individuals to draw upon when situations or events get difficult, stressful, pressured or confusing.

 

The following is our list as I understood and recorded it.

 

focus on the positive, taking time to remember the good parts of our lives

belief in God

deep breathing

meditation

regulation of time, structure

taking time outs to relax and rejuvenate

knowing our own personal limits and functioning within them

star gazing

distractions from the stress producer to a different activity

break stuff up ( I think we suggested old pottery)

knowing and using the serenity prayer

exercise/ especially walking

participation in favored activities

listening to or playing music

playin’ the blues

listening to violent music

watching a movie

finding someone to listen to me

recording feeling in some way and not necessarily to be shared with others

disengaging from situations

self protection

humor

 

This list is in no way meant to be scientific or all inclusive. It is an example of what kinds of things can go on within the group, of what the group mind can create. There was creative sharing of ideas, one person building on another’s thoughts, and good facilitated discussion among participants on most of the topics.

 

I believe we all learned a little about ourselves and others and maybe walked away with a few new skills. I know I did.