10 Tips to Find the Right Support Group

Like all individuals who suffer from Crohn's disease, I have issues. Life is a little tougher than average for us in terms of physical condition, jobs, medical insurance and interfacing with doctors and other medical providers. However, I have benefited greatly from being a member of several support groups and the leader of one.

Here are some factors to consider when finding a compatible group, whether you want support for a medical condition or are bereaved:

1. Trial session: Does the group offer a trial session, where you can visit and choose to either participate or just observe the meeting? Make sure all individuals have an opportunity to participate and that one or two don't dominate the conversation.

2. Location: How far are you willing to drive? If a renowned hospital offers a weekly support group solely for patients with your condition, how tiring would a 30-mile drive each direction be for you? How expensive?

3. Meeting frequency and duration: Determine how often you feel you can profit from being part of a support group. Is once a month often enough? Is weekly too draining on your schedule? Also check out how long the meetings typically last. Some support groups end up going on for hours, discussing individual members' challenges. Is this appealing to you?

4. Leader: Who is the leader or facilitator? Are you looking for a group led by a physician or a licensed therapist? Many, such as pet loss groups, are led by other patients who have been trained to facilitate support meetings. You will also want to know whether the leader is able or even permitted to offer advice on medical care, insurance or related subjects.

5. Financial commitment: Be sure to find out if you will incur a financial commitment to pay for expenses such as room rental or refreshments if you join a particular group. What happens if some members are able to pay but others aren't financially able to share the burden?

6. Group members: It's important to know the focus of the members currently in any group. For example, if you want to lose 75 pounds, you might prefer a weight loss support group limited to people who initially sought to lose at least 50 pounds.