Your first TOUGHLOVE^® Support Group meeting is always the hardest. Most people are

 amazed and relieved to find that the group is composed of people just like themselves

 who have been, or are going through the same thing they are. The comforting feeling

of not being alone is the most common response after the first meeting. No one

“telling you what to do” is a welcome relief. The group understands the emotion you

are experiencing, especially that this is a big commitment on your part to be here.

You will notice that when the meeting starts, everyone gets into small groups of about

5 to 8 people. You will be introduced to the Orientation Leader and meet separately with

other newcomers in your own small group for a thorough orientation. This will let you

know what the TOUGHLOVE^® Program is like and will give you a chance to talk about

what has brought you to our program.

Later during the meeting, when the whole group meets together, you and other

newcomers will join them and be introduced. You will probably be given some phone

numbers to call during the week and, if you wish, some people will be given your phone

number to see how you are doing. This will give you some idea of the support that is so important in helping you regain control of your family.

This meeting with the whole group will also review members’ success stories (large or

small), they may have a guest speaker, conduct a role play or discuss a topic of general relevance.

You will be asked to fill in a Crisis Assessment form and bring it back with you the

following week.

Second meeting

The second meeting will have you deciding what goal you want to reach with your family.

The Orientation Leader will help you with this, but you must set your own goal. Most

people find, after they have completed their Crisis Assessment, that the goal is fairly

clear.

You will then be introduced to the Small Group Leader and the other members of the

Small group that will now be your working group.

What else to expect

We wish we could tell you that your problems are now over. From our experience, you

will need to give your TOUGHLOVE^® group at least six weeks before you start seeing

changes.

The TOUGHLOVE^® Program has helped tens of thousands of families. We welcome

your participation, we welcome your support and, together, we can be successful in

reclaiming control of our lives and our homes.