Many people find joining a group to support them through change is beneficial. Would a group for doctors who want their lives to be much, much better also work?
It might be useful for doctors who:
- have read about personal development found the articles useful
- haven’t made the changes they want yet
- sometimes find it challenging dealing with their own emotions in relation to a patient
The doctors might resist joining a group because they:
- never have enough time
- have not been fitting in much apart from work into your day.
- find that their family complains they are never at home
- can’t remember when they last had a walk, went to the theatre or saw a film…….
If any or all of these resonate – then perhaps being part of a supportive group is for you especially if you want to:
- Make changes in your life
- Have more time
- Stop feeling so stressed
- Be fitter
- Be happier
- Recognise you have choices
- Enjoy the synergy and support of a group.
When you are with a group you can keep a note of what happens by writing in a journal as a personal record for the changes you make.
You will be able to use it as a guide to things you do over the next few months to get on to the track you want in your life.
Joining a group can be an opportunity to for support, encouragement and motivation. You may be able to meet each other face to face but it can work well if you meet on the telephone or on the internet. Any way that you can share ideas in a supportive environment can be very useful.
But how many doctors would be willing to do this? Is there a built in resistance amongst doctors about admitting vulnerability and not being able to cope with something or needing to discuss future plans in a non-judgemental environment?
In some situations being part of a group is common place for doctors especially when discussing clinical decisions. Could it become more often used too as a way to talk about personal development and also emotional issues in relation to dealing with patients? Not the diagnosis and treatment but more about how the doctor himself or herself deals with the emotional impact of dealing with a particular patient.
Counsellors call this process ‘supervision’ whether one to one or as a group and it is an opportunity to talk about what happens when dealing with difficult and emotional topics especially those which resonate with one’s own experience.
This is a great example of quality writing. I follow with burning interest and it keeps me sane in times of need. I have told all my friends about it, and they are all going to visit soon, I’m sure. Many congratulations on your style of writing – it is rather accomplished and is deserving of a large amount of credit, something which too many quality writers on the internet do not receive enough of. I was wondering, if you could update more often (that’s not to say you don’t write enough) but I confess that is just me being greedy. As it stands, I definitely am extremely thankful for your writing and I anticipate reading everything that you have to say in the future.
This is very Balint sounding and of course this type of work was pioneered with GPs in, I think Exeter in the sixties,
What Susan has done in the past is to trial a telephone group using a conference call approach. That has the advantage of maintaining confidentiality.
Reading all this very good advice about development is fine but requires the ”extra push” of either individual support or group dynamics.
I personally feel that the group approach is a tenable one suitable for the relatively long term basis along which this kind of work needs to proceed
Any other thoughts?
Gd wishes
Clive
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