3. THERAPEUTIC GROUP WORK
EDQ runs two therapeutic groups – the 10-week therapeutic group and the Community Table. These groups are open to people of all genders from the age of 16 years.
10-Week Therapeutic Group: The 10-week therapeutic group aims to create a safe and supportive environment. This allows people to explore underlying reasons why they might be struggling with eating disorders. The groups cover a range of topics including feelings and needs, relationships and communication, body image and gender roles, cultural and family expectations. The group explores these different topics through discussions and expressivelybased therapeutic activities. These serve to increase insight and build support networks, skills and resources in the recovery journey. At EDQ the 10-week therapeutic group is run either in person or online via telehealth. Community Table: Community Table is a community-based meal support group for those who are recovering from an eating disorder. The group provides a safe, supportive environment where participants can work through the challenges associated with eating. The group is facilitated by qualified eating disorder practitioners and is a closed group of 6-8 individuals who meet once a week for 5 weeks. The group runs for 3 hours over the lunch period. The Community Table is designed for those with a variety of eating disorders. As a part of each session, the group shares a meal provided by EDQ. The group uses a semi-structured approach allowing time for pre- and post-meal activities as well as flexibility to explore a variety of different topics and skills that may be beneficial to recovery.
29. Ensure safety for participants at all times. Safety is a primary principle of therapeutic group work. This includes safety for participants during the group sessions as well as skills and strategies to manage distress at other times when group facilitators are not present. Safety planning should be undertaken with all group participants and these plans should be adapted and reviewed when required. Participants should be encouraged to access formal and informal supports during their participation in the group program. This may include access to individual counselling and support, as well as connection with peers and supportive family members and friends. Group members need clarity about the nature of confidentiality and the group agreement about these issues. For online groups this can present some complexities, but it is critical that confidentiality is discussed and agreed to.
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One of the other key aspects of safety relates to language. It is important to discuss what language participants consider safe and what feels unsafe to them. There may be topics or discussions that some participants consider inappropriate and off limits. Trusting that disrespectful language or judgements will not be used can assist all participants in feeling safe to contribute and benefit from the group. 30. Create a warm and welcoming environment. It is a well-established principle that creating a warm and welcoming environment enables a sense of safety for group participants. The group environment should be accessible and comfortable. Many things that can be done to ensure that the environment is informal and non-clinical. For example, the use of plants, diffusers, a variety of seating options, all assist in creating a sense of comfort and ease.
Clinical Guidelines
