Support Groups--Adding Vitality to Spiritual Community

Spiritual and faith communities are often the occasions, and often supply the locations, for support groups. These groups may or may not have any kind of specific spiritual component; rather, they ride on the strengths and structures provided by people coming together for mutual uplift.

In the following, Angela Gaughan and Clinton Haas provide an example with some helpful links.

--L. E.

Photo credit: NLanja

  

Support groups are a great way to help find support and comfort from people that have walked a mile in the same shoes, sometimes even farther. There are groups that support a plethora of ailments and issues. 

When community volunteer Rebecca McKanna was in need of a fibromyalgia support group she checked a variety of community resources, one of which was the online support group database coordinated by the WSU Center for Community Support and Research (CCSR). The online database contains over 2,500 local and national support group resources. Groups on the list cover a wide range of topics, some of which include medical conditions, parenting, caregiving, grief and a variety of other topics.

 “I just needed one,” said McKanna. “My family didn’t want to hear about it anymore. I prayed about it and when I couldn’t find a group, I decided I needed to start my own.”  

McKanna held her first meeting in April. Only one other person came, but subsequent meetings have grown with as many as 16 people in attendance. 

“Because of this group, I feel less crazy, less doubtful and a huge sense of relief. It’s wonderful being able to talk to people who know your struggles,” said McKanna.

Support groups are a responsible, cost-effective and practical means for people coping with life crises and health issues. Most groups are available free of charge and are led by peers. People who have been through similar circumstances not only sympathize, they know where others are coming from and can show that they are not alone. 

CCSR regularly updates the support group database and welcomes new groups like McKanna’s fibromyalgia group to join. The database can be found at www.supportgroupsinkansas.org.

For more information or to have support groups added to the database, contact Angela Gaughan at angela.gaughan@wichita.edu or 316-978-5496.

Here is a glimpse at a few groups in the database. Go to the link for more details.

Fibromyalgia Support Group in Wichita

Second Monday at 6:00 p.m.

First Mennonite Brethren Church, 8000 W. 21^st St., Wichita

Contact:  Rebecca McKanna at (316) 722-2828

Celebrate Recovery in Kansas City

Celebrate Recovery is a recovery ministry based on biblical principles with a goal to let God work through us in providing His healing power through a Christ-centered 12 Step program.

Kansas City locations go to:  http://crkc.net/find-a-cr-group/

NAMI Hays

This group is dedicated to the support, education, and advocacy for families of people with mental Illness.

Consumer Support is at 7:00 p.m.

First Presbyterian Church, 2900 Hall St., Hays

Contact:  Ann at (785) 625-2847

Teasing Out the Lessons of Spiritual Crisis

By Lael Ewy

Sunrise Storm by Aristocrats-hat

David Lukoff (1998) describes the difference between spiritual emergence and spiritual emergency this way: “In spiritual emergence, (another term from the transpersonal psychology literature), there is a gradual unfoldment of spiritual potential with minimal disruption in psychological/social/occupational functioning, whereas in spiritual emergency there is significant abrupt disruption in psychological/social/occupational functioning.”

What meaning can we make of this distinction in our own lives?

A recent series of blog posts by activist/poet/mental health entrepreneur Corinna West (2013a, 2013b) provides some guidance. In addressing a spiritual crisis, West applied multiple tools, including the practices and techniques of several faith traditions, some of which she found more helpful than others. 

A few important ideas can be gleaned from this:

-->The Western world is more comfortable with the idea of spiritual emergence than it is with spiritual emergency. Part of this arises from stigma. People who we believe to be “fragile” or “at risk” are not trusted with sudden anything, much less rapid realignment with or reassessment of the spiritual forces in their lives. We tend to interpret any dire change as a crisis, in need of immediate and sometimes coercive correction, no matter the situation. Being a very religious set of people, this is exacerbated in the case of spiritual emergency in the US. Gradual change is both less noticeable and less scary—for those going through it and those who care for them. 

Spiritual emergence is preferred. But it isn’t always possible.

     

-->Not all faith communities are equally equipped to handle spiritual emergency. West (2013b) found her non-denominational spiritual community more helpful than her Christian community. This isn’t necessarily a fault of the faith tradition itself, but might be specific to a congregation or community. In this country, we don’t generally think of “church” as a place to take your spiritual emergency, even though a lot of potential supporters—from pastors and priests to mental health peers and other laity—might be found there. Being aware of how equipped your own faith community is to deal with a spiritual community could help you decide where (or where not) to seek help. 

-->We have to find what works for us. In West’s (2013a, 2013b) case, she chose to engage several different faith traditions. If your beliefs or loyalties have you staying within one spiritual path, you might have to consider who within that tradition could be your best support. Faith traditions are complex, and so one leader or counselor might not be as supportive as another. One set of doctrines within that tradition might be at odds with what you want to accomplish, but another might not be. A spiritual emergency might even give you a chance to discover aspects of your chosen faith that are new to you, such a mysticism or meditative techniques that are not part of everyday practice but still uphold the values you hold dear. Spiritual emergencies, as frightening as they may be, can also be opportunities for discovery. 

-->Consider complementary supports. Spiritual succor can be found in unexpected places. Scriptures and sacred stories are full of important figures retreating into the wilderness to sort through their spiritual issues, from Jesus’ 40-day sojourn in the desert to Siddhārtha Gautama’s time beneath the Bodhi tree. Connections made with family and friends can be spiritually uplifting and stabilizing. West (2103b) mentions connecting with spiritual teachers as well as preachers; she writes about “reground[ing] yourself” through rituals and diet. During spiritual emergency, potential peers actually increase, since many people go through spiritual crises who never have been labeled with a psychiatric diagnosis.    

Spiritual emergence and spiritual emergency both have the potential to change us in positive ways, to strengthen us and increase the depth of our spiritual experience. If you have the opportunity to engage in spiritual emergence, you’re lucky. But if you find yourself facing spiritual emergency, you may discover the degree to which you were already blessed.      

References

Lukoff, D. (1998).  From spiritual emergency to spiritual problem: the transpersonal roots of the new DSM-IV category. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 38(2), 21-50. http://www.spiritualcompetency.com/jhpseart.html.

West, C. (2013a, Jan. 2). Christian tools for handling spiritual emergency. Wellness Wordworks. Retrieved from   http://wellnesswordworks.com/christian-spritual-crisis/.

West, C. (2013b, Jan. 4).  Some non-demonimational tools for removing spiritual beings. Wellness Wordworks. Retrieved from http://wellnesswordworks.com/removing-spiritual-beings/.