supporting people with chronic and long-term conditions
As people of faith, we are called to act in response to the growing numbers and spiritual needs of people with chronic health conditions in our communities across ages and identities. UU congregations wish to be supportive and resilient communities. People with chronic health conditions often face personal struggles and micro-aggressions that limit their involvement. The challenges are immense and sometimes hidden from our day-to-day community life: dealing with a chronic illness can often be a full-time job and people who have chronic conditions and their families often face invisibility, economic instability and poverty, and are under-insured for the health needs they have. In order to accept direction from those most directly by systems of oppression, we have to come to address issues of the body and its resilience in our work toward collective liberation. If we learn about the experiences of people with chronic conditions, we can better partner with people who experience pain, fatigue, and other chronic health issues, widening our circles of caring community as well as leadership.
The desire to stretch and extend ourselves to relationships with others poses a formidable challenge to our individual wounds and brokenness. In a global and national context of constant agitation and fear, we can strengthen community and individual skills in resilience-- learn from the strategies developed by people with chronic conditions to survive and thrive – in order to live into our mission as a faith community.
I am available to help your congregation better support people with chronic and long-term conditions of all ages. The “Coping in Community” model was developed and piloted then offered at several congregations. The original groups are still going strong after several years. It was then expanded through support from the UUA's Joseph Gittler Religion and Ethics grant and Fund for UU Scholarship.
Build skills to engage spiritual coping in community. Gain resources for an innovative support group, currently successful at multiple congregations.
Sermon + Workshop
Coping in Community (Worship Service)
Sermon + Support Group Launch (may include remote coaching)
The desire to stretch and extend ourselves to relationships with others poses a formidable challenge to our individual wounds and brokenness. In a global and national context of constant agitation and fear, we can strengthen community and individual skills in resilience-- learn from the strategies developed by people with chronic conditions to survive and thrive – in order to live into our mission as a faith community.
I am available to help your congregation better support people with chronic and long-term conditions of all ages. The “Coping in Community” model was developed and piloted then offered at several congregations. The original groups are still going strong after several years. It was then expanded through support from the UUA's Joseph Gittler Religion and Ethics grant and Fund for UU Scholarship.
Build skills to engage spiritual coping in community. Gain resources for an innovative support group, currently successful at multiple congregations.
Sermon + Workshop
Coping in Community (Worship Service)
Sermon + Support Group Launch (may include remote coaching)
Sample - "A Preamble to our Meeting"
No matter our age or path, we are joined in this circle by our individual experiences of chronic physical conditions. We understand that chronic conditions come in many forms and impact people in diverse ways. This meeting space embraces all that we are: the ways we identify and name our conditions, and the choices and struggles each of us have faced. For some people, the journey has included one or more diagnoses by ourselves or by professionals. For some, the path has not always been clear to identify our symptoms and conditions to ourselves or to professionals. During each session there is a time of introduction and check-in, we are welcomed and encouraged to disclose our conditions.
Many people with chronic illness have found resilience and joy in their journeys to cope. Still, many others suffer in silence and without adequate support. We gather here twice per month to share our stories, get support, and build community. At least once a month, we have a time of deeper sharing, including the opportunity to name something we’d like to discuss further, either during the session, a future session, or with another group member. We are asked to abide by our covenant and give encouraging feedback or advice, only when it is requested.
No matter our age or path, we are joined in this circle by our individual experiences of chronic physical conditions. We understand that chronic conditions come in many forms and impact people in diverse ways. This meeting space embraces all that we are: the ways we identify and name our conditions, and the choices and struggles each of us have faced. For some people, the journey has included one or more diagnoses by ourselves or by professionals. For some, the path has not always been clear to identify our symptoms and conditions to ourselves or to professionals. During each session there is a time of introduction and check-in, we are welcomed and encouraged to disclose our conditions.
Many people with chronic illness have found resilience and joy in their journeys to cope. Still, many others suffer in silence and without adequate support. We gather here twice per month to share our stories, get support, and build community. At least once a month, we have a time of deeper sharing, including the opportunity to name something we’d like to discuss further, either during the session, a future session, or with another group member. We are asked to abide by our covenant and give encouraging feedback or advice, only when it is requested.
Coping in Community: A Support Group Model
Rev. Megan Visser
Los Angeles, CA 90038
[email protected]
Rev. Megan Visser
Los Angeles, CA 90038
[email protected]
