How We Provide Support …..
Simply by being in touch with those who have gone through conditions similar to your own, can provide very positive social and mental support. Understanding that we are not alone, and our challenges are shared by many others, can be very comforting, especially in times of extreme isolation, anxiety and distress.
Our support environment works through several channels, all encouraging honest and supportive communication.
Support Group Meetings – A casual gathering of our group members (and any friends& family) is to allow for meeting, discussion, bonding and sharing of our view of the world. We are currently meeting via ZOOM video meetings. We have Guest Expert speakers at each meeting who may have some professional involvement in our world. Past expert speakers have included ENT Balance consultants, Balance Rehabilitation specialists, and other people of note in the world of balance. The meetings are free to attend, and no member has to attend any, but just come whenever they want to. Members decide what they want to get out of our group and all views are welcome. Meeting notes and recordings of our guest speakers are always available on our web sit in the Meeting section.
Balance Buddies – Our volunteers, many of whom have first hand experience with various balance disorders, are available for contact by all members. Members can choose to email or call any of our Balance Buddies, especially where they believe a particular Buddy may have relevant balance issue experience to share. Our Buddies are there to help you over the long term in any way that they can. [we are also seeking more volunteers to be Balance Buddies as well please – anyone with experience of or a professional interest in Balance issues, please contact us now]
See some of our members feedback following our meetings :-
“The first meeting was great and very helpful & informative. Lovely to meet people with similar issues”
“I came there on Saturday morning trying hard to not cry and I left feeling so good, positive and feeling that I’m not on my own.”
“It might sound over-dramatic, but you really made a huge impact in my life.”
“Your support group is working!.”
“The group has already made a huge difference to me” (after the first meeting)
Member To Member Contact Network – In between group meetings we encourage member to member contact for those who wish to participate in this. name and email address or phone numbers are shared only with other members who have selected to be part of this network. You can then contact as many or as few other members as you wish. This can be very useful to connect to people with very similar symptoms to yourself, or just contact those who live in your area to arrange your own coffee meeting or whatever. It really is good to talk.
