Meetings

MEETING GUIDELINES AS READ TO START EACH MEETING

Hello, my name is_________. Welcome to the New Landscape meeting. This is a peer led support group for people who are healing from DID or another dissociative disorder. It is a place where you can share your experiences in a safe, non-judgmental environment. It is not a group therapy session, it is not a 12-step program, and it is not a study group.

Who this meeting is for:
Anyone who is healing from DID or another dissociative disorder and is in the process of reclaiming life. Therapists who are healing from a dissociative disorder are welcome.

Who this meeting is NOT for:
Friends, significant others, students, journalists, observers.

FORMAT OF THE MEETING

1:00 – 1:10 – Listing of Topics
1:10 – 2:45 – Individual Sharing
2:45 – 3:00 – Resource Sharing and Business Meeting Issues

SHARING GUIDELINES

  1. If you wish to share, please raise your hand and wait to be recognized by the moderator. You may raise your actual hand on camera, or use the emoji hand. If you use the emoji hand, please remove it after you share.
  2. Address your comments to the group as a whole, not to any individual member. There is no cross talk or feedback.
  3. Speak from the “I” perspective or the personal “we” plural perspective. This means speak from your own experience. Example: “I feel…” “I did…” “In our system we think…”
  4. There will be topics decided on at the beginning of the meeting. Topics can also be added to the list during the meeting as well. You have the option of sharing on or off the topics. You do not have to comment on what the person who shared before you said. You can share something completely different.
  5. If you do comment on other people’s sharing, please do so from the “I” perspective. Example: “I related to what the last person shared because I had a similar experience.” Then go on to tell of your own experience.
  6. Please do not have side conversations while someone else is talking.
  7. Ask only clarifying questions. Example: “I didn’t hear what you said” or “What does that word mean?” Please raise your hand to ask a question.
  8. Do not ask for information. Example: “Who is your therapist?”
  9. You may ask questions of the group as a whole when it is your turn to share, as long as you know you may or may not get an answer. Example: “Has anyone had the experience of…?”
  10. Do not give advice.
  11. Do not ask for advice or information during the meeting. There will be time at the end of the meeting for sharing of resources that may be helpful to others in the group.
  12. Please feel free not to answer a question, even in the private chat or a conversation before or after the meeting.
  13. Confidentiality: What you see and hear in this meeting should remain here.
  14. You don’t have to talk. No one will call on you.
  15. You are not obligated to give personal information about yourself unless you wish to do so.
  16. Please feel free to leave and come back during the meeting.
  17. Alters, System Members and Parts are welcome as long as they respect the guidelines
  18. Though we do not share graphic descriptions of our abuse, some things people share may be triggering to others. If you are triggered, please handle it in whatever way works best for you without interrupting the person who is sharing. Some methods that have been helpful to others are: leaving the meeting and/or using your own share time to talk about what the issue means for you.

GENERAL

  1. Recording: Please do not record any of the meeting. However, it’s fine to write something down for personal use.
  2. Cell phones: Please turn off cell phones or keep them on vibrate. Please leave the room to make or receive a call.
  3. Smoking/Vaping: Please do not smoke or vape on camera.
  4. Food: Please do not eat on camera. Drinking hot or cold soft drinks is allowed.

SHARING FORMAT

Each person may share several times, but each individual share will be allowed a maximum of six minutes. The Time Keeper will give a visual finger cue when there are two minutes left like this (show 2 fingers), and again when there is one minute left like this (show 1 finger). A closed fist like this (show fist) means your time is up. Of course you may stop before six minutes if you wish.

QUESTIONS TO START THE MEETING

Who is willing to be the TIme Keeper for this meeting?
Thank you________.
Please speak now if there is anyone here who needs verbal time reminders in addition to visual…

Who is willing to write the topics in the chat?
Could you please send the topic list at the end of the meeting to the New Landscapes email for the website?
Thank you___________.
Now the floor is open for topics.

DONATIONS

The following is read at the very end of each meeting. “We have no fees, but we do have some small expenses. If you would like to donate, there is a link on the website you can use.”

**Further information on donations: Donations are not tax deductible. Donations help cover our expenses, which consist mainly of Zoom meeting fees ($150/yr) and this website ($100/yr).