Poll - Survivor Meetings

[poppet]

yes if i know its safe and got someone in charge

[lraincloud]

I would really like to go to one, but not have to say anything. I think I would feel less alone.

[starshinesometimes]

Having thought about this some more I'm not sure I would go to one now. I feel as though I am quite far on with a lot of the issues that I've had to work through. I think there probably is a right time to do it, when you are used to talking about it a little, but before you are whittling it down to the last few pieces of the healing puzzle. I think that ship might have already sailed for me as its quite specific things that trouble me now. I was referred for a group course but it came up just before I moved back up home so I never went, it was quite daunting though.

[chris12]

Interesting answers , have got me thinking along the lines of perhaps starting a local group in conjunction with a C if I could find an interested one. Something to look into perhaps in a couple of weeks time. would meet 3 times a month, have a mixed group then an all male group then an all female group maybe. And do some themed sessions some social sessions.well another of my mad ideas.

[Hovisg]

I said maybe

If I had said yes and you said ok go tomorrow I wouldn't be happy I said yes
But if I said maybe it means I might go if I have time to progress a little more
Or reflect on whether the benefits would outweigh any negatives
For me the negatives are I still want to minimise my situation so still can't help comparing
And I know you can't compare I have said so myself before but if I matched a face to a situation
I think it would make my minimising worse.

Does that make any sense at all? It does in my head to me

Hugs all
Hovis

[chris12]

Yes it makes sense to me. online it is real but detached , you do not have to be seen , but can be heared have your say. face to face it can be uncomfortable to have a say.As to comparing and trying to minimise what happened to you compared to somone else , every ones experience is differnt even 2 people abused by the same person have different views and experiences . somtimes minimising experiences can be a coping strategy, I do this to some extent now I have got it all out. I think I have got it all out, hope I have. but yet still feel the need to talk about it in a safe enviroment to try and explain,understand and come to terms with it all so it stops doing me harm.Hence having some T and being a member here . I am comfortable talking about some of the issues that survivors face with somone face to face in a safe enviroment and talking in safe groups, as went on the promoting recovery from csa seminar and was ok doing that so for me I would feel that for some topics a supportive well run survivors group would be benifical to attend.But no suitable groups in my area.

[ramona.green]

I am going to pledge to myself to look harder and find one in my local area. I cannot afford therapy-- part of my issue with the past abuse I have endured is that I can't get jobs that allow me to pay for one. So I feel as though a group or meeting with a qualified counselor would benefit me greatly.

Thank you.

[chris12]

I have taken the plunge today and contacted camalot to apply for a small donation/grant to start a group in my area. Not sure I will get it , but will look elswhere if I do not for the extra financing to start up.I do have a counsellor interested in helping me on an expenses basis.

[Smithy]

I would go, but to be honest I would be scared of there being a group who knew each other and I would be alone.
If that happened , the rejection would be very hard for me. I think that I would be more scared of being rejected than anything else. Strange isnt it?

[ramona.green]

In a way it is strange but in another not strange at all, Harriet. Though I would hope that you would feel comfortable talking to the people who knew each other already (or maybe making a friend with another person who doesn't), I feel that being a person who has gone through something different can make a person feel different even in a group of people who have been through the same.

[Smithy]

Hmmmm, thanks for that ramona.green. Thats a good point. Nothing to fear except fear itself. I would certainly give it my best and go. After all, people would be reaching out to help at the end of the day. all best wishes H

[Sottovoceone]

The primary factor of saying "YES!" is that I am so very tired of hurting and living with the effects of the abuse. It has become cellular and though my recovery began years ago and my progress has been great, I still ache from the effects and frankly, I'm so very tired of it. I'm tired of losing good people in my life.

[abbi]

I voted maybe. FIrst instinct was "noooo way". But I know already that this is my mask talking. Meeting people face to face, in public, wow. Everybody would know what happened to me. Jeesh, that's heavy.
I would go if a councelor is present (in ideal case a counselor who has been abused too in the past), and in small groups. I would not go to a conference. No way, Im sorry

[onde]

It would depend on how well I was feeling. I find disclosure and any attempts at progressive, healing work absolutely harrowing and knackering

[Guest]

I think that perhaps I would go to Survivor Meetings. I like to interact with other people but I would be really nervous about talking about what happened specifically to me. Talking about it makes it seem more real and that's horrible but then again that could be healthier. I suppose part of me still feels guilty and ashamed and I would be afraid of being judged. I do think that either somebody who has experience of abuse and is trained to lead a group or a trained counsellor would be ok. So, basically I'd give it a go but would initially be terrified.