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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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Posted by fallsfall on December 9, 2005, at 18:57:47
In reply to Re: waaaaay different ideas about Babble » Dr. Bob, posted by Dinah on December 9, 2005, at 17:08:34
I'm hoping that they will have questions for us. And we can just answer them the best we can. And if we don't know the answer we can say "I don't know". Or even "I'll ask that question on the board - you can look there for the answer".
We could have a set of generic "questions" to start with or if things get slow:
How did you find Babble?
How often do you read/post?
What role does Babble play in your life?
What has Babble helped you with?
What problems has Babble caused?
What is the difference between online support and IRL support?
Does your therapist know about Babble, what do they think of it?
What would you do if you didn't have Babble?
What do we talk about on Babble?We could each ask our own therapist/pdoc what questions they would want answered if they went to something like this.
We could have a whole list of these questions, so if they don't have any questions for us, we can get the conversation started.
We can also ask THEM if they have any experience with their patients reading things online.
When I think of it as a conversation rather than a presentation, it is a little less scary for me.
As for splitting up into groups:
I think that no poster should have to do a group by themself if they don't want to. Probably many of us would rather have at least 2 posters to a group. Maybe we should say that the "normal" number of posters in a group will be at least 2.
I don't like the idea of people wandering from one group to another. Too much potential for making one of us feel unloved. We don't need that!
Maybe we can come up with a couple of scenarios so that when we find out how many posters/attendees there are we will already have a plan:
1. If there are fewer than 10 attendees, we stay as one group.
2. If there are lots of attendees and not too many posters, we ask for subjects that they would like covered, and then posters who want to talk about that topic form a group around that.
3. Or the posters pair up (or whatever) and chose the topic that they would most like to talk about and then the attendees can go to the group that is most interesting to them.
4. Or if there are a few number of groups and the discussion time isn't too short, we could divide them into groups and have the poster teams rotate through the groups so they get to talk to more than one poster.
5. If a group feels like they are in "trouble", there should be some way to call Dr. Bob over and he should help get the discussion going (is that OK, Dr. Bob?)
Dr. Bob, when the time comes, can you find out how big a room they are giving us? That should say something about the maximum number of attendees.
If nobody comes we'll have our own party.
Dr. Bob can remind them before we split up that we come to Babble because we have mental health issues - so they should use their best doctor manners with us! And we ALWAYS have the right to refuse to answer a question if we are uncomfortable. I think that we and the doctors really will be wanting the same thing - to increase their understanding of online support groups - so we'll all be working in the same direction.
Posted by 10derHeart on December 9, 2005, at 20:12:31
In reply to Re: waaaaay different ideas about Babble, posted by fallsfall on December 9, 2005, at 18:57:47
Posted by Dinah on December 9, 2005, at 20:13:27
In reply to Re: waaaaay different ideas about Babble, posted by fallsfall on December 9, 2005, at 18:57:47
Posted by Dinah on December 9, 2005, at 20:15:34
In reply to Can I call dibs on your group? (nm) » fallsfall, posted by Dinah on December 9, 2005, at 20:13:27
Sigh. You sound like you know what's going on. And I'm just lost in a sea of confusion. Every explanation Dr. Bob gives just sinks me further into blank idiocy.
Posted by Dinah on December 9, 2005, at 21:43:55
In reply to Falls, posted by Dinah on December 9, 2005, at 20:15:34
Posted by muffled on December 9, 2005, at 22:01:07
In reply to I really feel dense :( (nm), posted by Dinah on December 9, 2005, at 21:43:55
Welcome to my world Dinah!!!
I think your brave.
Muffled
Posted by fallsfall on December 9, 2005, at 23:22:23
In reply to I really feel dense :( (nm), posted by Dinah on December 9, 2005, at 21:43:55
Don't feel dense. None of us have done this before!
They'll love us! Because we are lovable!
Posted by gardenergirl on December 10, 2005, at 12:34:22
In reply to Re: I really feel dense :( » Dinah, posted by fallsfall on December 9, 2005, at 23:22:23
The small group discussions I have participated in at conferences and in classes have been more like conversations and regular discussions. There might be a list of suggested questions (as falls provided) that "should" be covered or can be covered. A lot of times, small groups break up to discuss something and then the entire group reforms, and someone from each group sort of summarizes the discussion for the main group.
So the small groups could all talk about the same general ideas and see where things go..remember, it's just a conversation. Then everyone could re-group and discuss the topic or topics as a whole.
Or, each small group could have a difference focus or set of general questions, and then when the whole group gets back together, each group reports, and the whole group benefits from hearing about the conversations of the other groups.
Usually the presenter, in this case Dr. Bob, will begin the session by giving a talk giving background etc. In this case, about Babble. Then he might suggest some structure or procedure for the small groups.
At least that's how my experience with this type of thing usually goes.
gg
Posted by Poet on December 10, 2005, at 16:49:24
In reply to Re: waaaaay different ideas about Babble, posted by fallsfall on December 9, 2005, at 18:57:47
Posted by Poet on December 10, 2005, at 17:07:44
In reply to I really feel dense :( (nm), posted by Dinah on December 9, 2005, at 21:43:55
Hi Dinah,
The small group discussion scares me, but what I'm telling myself is that I will be Poet, which gives me some anonymity. I don't have to reveal anything personal that I am not comfortable saying and no one will be pushing me to do it.
I don't think you are dense at all. You're nervous just like me and Deneb and everybody. We have lots of questions, because none of us (except GG) have done anything like this.
It's scary and it's not dense to be concerned about what we are getting into. Not dense at all.
Poet
Posted by sleepygirl on December 10, 2005, at 19:21:14
In reply to Re: What if ..., posted by annierose on December 9, 2005, at 6:20:52
Posted by Dinah on December 11, 2005, at 11:54:37
In reply to am I allowed to come? (nm), posted by sleepygirl on December 10, 2005, at 19:21:14
Posted by Dinah on December 11, 2005, at 11:58:03
In reply to Re: I really feel dense :( » Dinah, posted by Poet on December 10, 2005, at 17:07:44
To the point of not wanting to go to Toronto at all. Which is stupid, because no one is saying you have to do this if you go.
If I had seen what Dr. Bob was talking about before, I might not be so anxious. But this sort of thing is not part of the conferences I attend in the course of my work. If I had any comprehension at all of what he wants from us, I wouldn't feel so anxious. Maybe this is like one of those falling backwards exercises in trust. So why don't I trust that Dr. Bob won't ask us to do anything that will humiliate us?
Posted by Dinah on December 11, 2005, at 11:59:14
In reply to I am anxious I guess, posted by Dinah on December 11, 2005, at 11:58:03
Goodness only knows it isn't that I am not comfortable talking about Babble ad infinitum. :))
Posted by Tamar on December 11, 2005, at 19:12:05
In reply to I am anxious I guess, posted by Dinah on December 11, 2005, at 11:58:03
> If I had any comprehension at all of what he wants from us, I wouldn't feel so anxious.
Would it help if you try to see it as an opportunity to do something for yourself rather than for Dr Bob?
What do *you* want to get from it?
If I were going, I’d see it as an opportunity to do something I’d like to do: to talk to some interested people about my experiences with online support as a mental health patient.
> Maybe this is like one of those falling backwards exercises in trust. So why don't I trust that Dr. Bob won't ask us to do anything that will humiliate us?
Well, of course Dr Bob can’t control absolutely everything that happens. But on the basis of my experience of professional conferences, I’d imagine that the people who attend the session will be interested in hearing from you. I think they will have a genuine interest in what you might say.
And the really important thing to remember is:
You know much more about Babble than they do.
So you’re the one with the knowledge and experience. They might know lots and lots about psychology. But they don’t know what you know about online support at Babble.Does that help at all?
Tamar
Posted by LegWarmers on December 11, 2005, at 21:16:34
In reply to I am anxious I guess, posted by Dinah on December 11, 2005, at 11:58:03
> To the point of not wanting to go to Toronto at all. Which is stupid, because no one is saying you have to do this if you go.
>
> If I had seen what Dr. Bob was talking about before, I might not be so anxious. But this sort of thing is not part of the conferences I attend in the course of my work. If I had any comprehension at all of what he wants from us, I wouldn't feel so anxious. Maybe this is like one of those falling backwards exercises in trust. So why don't I trust that Dr. Bob won't ask us to do anything that will humiliate us?You can always back out of anything you don't want to do when you get there. I also think Tamat had good ponints, you know something they are interested in learning about.
Posted by Dinah on December 12, 2005, at 8:58:05
In reply to Re: I am anxious I guess » Dinah, posted by LegWarmers on December 11, 2005, at 21:16:34
I know I can.
Sigh. It's most likely nerves. I can be passionate enough about topics I'm interested in to get pulled in once I'm there.
Thanks.
Posted by Dinah on December 12, 2005, at 8:59:04
In reply to Re: I am anxious I guess » Dinah, posted by Tamar on December 11, 2005, at 19:12:05
There are very few things I do for myself that involve getting out of my jammies. :)
Posted by AuntieMel on December 12, 2005, at 15:27:59
In reply to I am anxious I guess, posted by Dinah on December 11, 2005, at 11:58:03
I'd like to tell them why I came here in the first place.
Because I didn't have a clue what was going on with me.
Because I was given meds without a clue of what they were supposed to do - or that if one didn't work it wasn't hopeless - or that it might take more than one at a time to work - and that it could be trial and error and it could take a long time.
Because my shrink told me that the best treatment is meds *and* therapy - but not what therapy was supposed to do.
Because I had never been to therapy before and I didn't have a clue why I was there and what I was supposed to talk about.
So - I did what I knew how to do - search on the internet.
And I found answers to most of those questions here at babble - and I am still finding answers.
And along the way I met some of the nicest people I've ever met.
Posted by gardenergirl on December 12, 2005, at 18:22:57
In reply to Re: I know what *I'd* like to talk to them about » Dinah, posted by AuntieMel on December 12, 2005, at 15:27:59
> >
> And along the way I met some of the nicest people I've ever met.:-D
gg
Posted by gardenergirl on December 12, 2005, at 19:01:47
In reply to Takes one to know one...;-P » AuntieMel, posted by gardenergirl on December 12, 2005, at 18:22:57
That sort of looks snotty, darned medium. What I mean is that you are one of those "nicest people".
gg
Posted by Dr. Bob on December 13, 2005, at 7:05:27
In reply to Re: I am anxious I guess » Dinah, posted by Tamar on December 11, 2005, at 19:12:05
> When I think of it as a conversation rather than a presentation, it is a little less scary for me.
>
> 5. If a group feels like they are in "trouble", there should be some way to call Dr. Bob over and he should help get the discussion going (is that OK, Dr. Bob?)
>
> Dr. Bob, when the time comes, can you find out how big a room they are giving us? That should say something about the maximum number of attendees.
>
> Dr. Bob can remind them before we split up that we come to Babble because we have mental health issues - so they should use their best doctor manners with us! And we ALWAYS have the right to refuse to answer a question if we are uncomfortable. I think that we and the doctors really will be wanting the same thing - to increase their understanding of online support groups - so we'll all be working in the same direction.
>
> fallsfallI agree, think of it as a conversation and not as something adversarial. It's fine to call me over, but I think you'll be fine and that won't be necessary. Here's the room:
http://www.mtccc.com/planners/floorplansSpecs/southBuilding/level800/meetingRooms803.cfm
But it seems large to me, I doubt it'll be even close to full...
--
> If I had seen what Dr. Bob was talking about before, I might not be so anxious. But this sort of thing is not part of the conferences I attend in the course of my work. If I had any comprehension at all of what he wants from us, I wouldn't feel so anxious.
>
> Dinah> on the basis of my experience of professional conferences, I’d imagine that the people who attend the session will be interested in hearing from you. I think they will have a genuine interest in what you might say.
>
> And the really important thing to remember is:
> You know much more about Babble than they do.
> So you’re the one with the knowledge and experience. They might know lots and lots about psychology. But they don’t know what you know about online support at Babble.
>
> TamarI agree with Tamar. But you might be able to go to another session on Sunday if you want. It wouldn't be like ours, but it might still give you an idea of what the meeting's like.
Bob
Posted by AuntieMel on December 13, 2005, at 9:35:23
In reply to Um...just in case, posted by gardenergirl on December 12, 2005, at 19:01:47
I didn't think it looked snotty at all.
In fact, it made my morning. Thanks for that.
Posted by AuntieMel on December 13, 2005, at 9:36:49
In reply to Re: being anxious, posted by Dr. Bob on December 13, 2005, at 7:05:27
Plenty of room to get a running start - and plenty of exits.
Posted by Dinah on December 13, 2005, at 10:04:54
In reply to Re: being anxious, posted by Dr. Bob on December 13, 2005, at 7:05:27
Thanks for understanding, Dr. Bob.
That might help. I know that before I go anywhere new, I usually drive by the address the day before so that I will know where I'm going, and that helps me reduce my anxiety.
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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
[email protected]
Script revised: February 4, 2008
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