Working principles
 The way the groups will work
- We will respect each woman’s individual experience and her right and responsibility to make her own decisions about her life and health.
- The whole group will be a learning environment, recognising that all of us can contribute useful experience and learn from one another.
- During the weekend we will be exchanging ideas and experience, and mutual support. Women will have the opportunity to exchange contact details at the end.
- Groups will work with mutually agreed ground rules. We will discuss: confidentiality, good listening, time-keeping, and mutual respect, regardless of sexual orientation, ethnic origin, disability or creed.
- Groups will work within a framework which recognises spirituality as an important issue for women at mid-life, but does not advocate any particular denomination or faith.
- Women will be encouraged to follow up interests and concerns when they leave the group; support material with contacts relevant to the topics and processes under discussion will be made available.
Liz as facilitator
- Liz Perkins is an experienced researcher and group leader, with nearly 30 years’ experience of working in the health field. She is a trained teacher and holds a BA, MA and a PhD. She has been working on midlife issues for over five years. Her groups make use of her professional skills and personal experience. She will continue to develop her skills and update her information base.
- Liz has only limited counselling training and her groups are not therapy groups. They offer opportunities to consider issues of current concern to women at mid-life, rather than foster explorations of past trauma. Women looking for on-going professional support on emotional issues should seek a counsellor or therapist.
- She is not a doctor or a complementary therapist and therefore offers ways to understand health issues, not clinical expertise. Women should seek advice from a health professional if they are concerned.
- Liz was brought up as a Quaker, which taught her personal responsibility for one’s own spiritual life. She still values her Quaker membership and also draws on her experience in the women’s spirituality movement.
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