Content
Discussion - Part 1
Self-Help/Mutual
Aid
Self-help is
a “process by which people who share common experiences, situations
or problems can offer each other a unique perspective that is not
available for those who have not shared these experiences (Self-Help
Resource Centre of Greater Toronto, 1996). A self-help group, where
members meet to share their feelings and insights about their shared
experiences (such as coping with a health issue, loss of a loved
one, or need to find employment), is the main venue for facilitating
the self-help process.
Self-help groups
serve a number of purposes for their members, including:
 social
support
information sharing
identity formation
personal growth and
transformation (e.g., overcoming addiction)
advocacy and collective
empowerment (e.g., lobbying for actions to address the health
problem shared by group members)
You may be most
familiar with the self-help concept as it’s practiced by traditional
“twelve-step” groups, such as Alcoholics Anonymous. But
self-help groups can, and have, been established for people sharing
a range of health concerns as the following example illustrates.
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