I am in my sixth decade on this planet and have come to believe that the cultivation of love for our fellow human beings and the acceptance of change and loss are the most important foundations of a life worth living. Awareness of the fleetingness of life can spur us to live more attentively and intentionally, and thus potentially more joyfully. But fear based on past difficult relationships, a belief that we are somehow unworthy or unlovable, and/or dread of abandonment and loss can prevent us from taking the risks involved in developing supportive relationships or in ending those that are draining and unfulfilling.
So many social changes are conspiring against our uniting with others in caring ways. Social media and online forums promise connection but mostly thwart it by diverting people away from real face-to-face interactions and increasing feelings of insecurity. They can become echo chambers, sorting people into information silos and sparking suspicion and distancing as though between rival tribes. The pressures of everyday life become more challenging every day as many of us are losing jobs, access to affordable housing and health care, and a sense of safety in our own homes as nowhere seems impervious to the possibility of some natural disaster occurring.
I have led many groups in the past, including Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills groups and ones geared toward changing problematic substance use. My goal in developing and leading this particular group is to help people improve their lives and build resilience in the here and now, in and through connections with other people, while recognizing the urgency of this need in the face of rapidly accelerating social change.
The Plan
The group starts with a maximum of 8 members and meets weekly for 14 weeks. Two consecutive weeks will be dedicated to each of the themes summarized in the acronym SIMPLE, plus a first meeting for introductions and a last for closings.
- Slow Down
- Identify Interpersonal Barriers
- Minimize Material Things/Maximize Experiences
- Prepare for the Worst, Hope for the Best
- Lend Your Gifts to the Cause
- Embrace the Brevity of All Things
Members are given access to the private pages on this website after making payment for the 14 sessions ($700). These pages provide discussion points for each theme. Meetings are 90 minutes long and are held via the video platform Google Meet.
Certain agreements are required:
1) confidentiality – general ideas can be shared with people outside the group, but never with names attached
2) members should attentively listen to and show respect and tolerance for others
3) potentially divisive topics such as politics are best avoided unless or until the group decides they can be broached without harm.
Are you ready to get together and build a better life – and maybe even a better society by extension? Fill out the contact form and we’ll talk soon!