Guidelines for Participating in a Support Group

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Monarch health center support groups are confidential, we ask everyone to respect each other's privacy by agreeing not to disclose what other people shared in the meeting to anyone who did not attend the session.

We ask everyone to participate in this meeting from a quiet, private location where others do not overhear or interrupt the meeting.

This meeting uses a remote connection over the internet among participants, and in rare cases, security protocols could fail, and the content of this meeting could be accessed by unauthorized persons. 

Limits to confidentiality exist for the facilitators, and they are mandated to disclose information under the following circumstances:

1. Imminent risk of harm to self or others,
2. Reported or suspected abuse or neglect of a child, elderly, or disabled individual.

We ask everyone to be respectful of each other by taking turns talking and being open to different opinions, remember to:

a. Be thoughtful in providing and responding to feedback. We are here to help, not judge, each other.

1. Respect individual differences.
2. Everyone has the right to speak and to be heard.
3. Avoid comparing the significance of problems. Everyone’s distress is valid.

a. Show up/sign in on time and stay until the end. 

b. Notice how much you talk and how much you listen, allowing space for everyone in group.

1.  We request you commit to regular attendance. If you are going to be absent, please notify the group facilitators or call the main clinic phone on +971 45891911/ +971 58115041. 
2. Please attend at least three group sessions before deciding to leave the group. Entering a group setting often requires a period of adjustment.
3. If for some reason you must end your participation in the group, please give at least one week's notice in group and plan to take time to say goodbye to the group during the following meeting. 

This group is not a counseling or therapy group for treating mental illness. As a support group, it provides a space for participants to support each other as peers by sharing personal experiences and ideas. If a facilitator believes your needs go beyond what group can effectively offer, the facilitator will meet with you to discuss other options, participants might be referred to Monarch health centers, and/or appropriate facility or other resources for further discussion.

You agree to not use mind or mood-altering substances, including alcohol, prior to group meetings.

There is no session limit for the support groups. You may attend as long as you are eligible.

Once you are registered for a support group, you will receive a Microsoft teams link to join the meeting. It will be the same link from week to week, and we ask that you don’t share the link with anyone who is not registered for your support group.

In order to be let into the meeting, you will need to provide the name & phone number of an emergency contact, along with a few other pieces of information.

We are excited that you are interested in joining a support group and accompanying us in the new adventure of meeting online!