The Self-Help Sourcebook: Finding & Forming Mutual Aid Self-Help Groups (Includes Index) - Softcover

Confronted with almost any illness, problem or special need you can imagine-and some you probably can't-you can turn to this directory and find a group of people who share your problem. Many women associate self-help groups with the twelve-step model, and have forgotten that the modern women's movement has its roots in consciousness-raising groups, where women learned that their individual experiences of discrimination and violence were shared-thus, the personal became political. The women's health movement also began in small self-help groups, pioneers of self-examination and informed consent. In the 25 years since, self-help groups have proliferated, and through these groups, a woman can seek help at little or no cost, with peers rather than "authority" figures. The Self-Help Sourcebook not only lists over 700 groups, but also includes over 100 toll-free, specialty information and referral phone numbers, and a section outlining how to start your own group. Self-help groups offer more than support and information-many groups act as activists and advocates, lobby for research and legislation, and educate the public about their particular issue. -- From The WomanSource Catalog & Review: Tools for Connecting the Community for Women; review by Patricia Pettijohn