FT Module 8: Troubleshooting by admin | 07, 01, 26 | 0 comments Scenario 1: Caroline Caroline says to the group that she would never use disposable nappies, that they are terrible for the environment and anyone who uses them is lazy. Gently remind the group about respecting different choices and avoiding judgmental language Reaffirm the group agreement about kindness and non-judgment Agree with Caroline to show support Ignore the comment completely Redirect the conversation to keep the group inclusive Scenario 2: Kirsten Kirsten is angry that she didn’t get as much time to talk as Beth. As the group is breaking up, she grabs Beth’s shoulders and shoves her hard against the wall. Separate Kirsten and Beth calmly Check if Beth is physically OK Ignore it - it’s just frustration Tell Kirsten to leave and never come back Report this as a safeguarding concern Scenario 3: Simone You don’t like Simone. She’s just not your kind of person. Remind yourself to remain professional and impartial Treat Simone with the same respect and care as all members Avoid engaging with Simone during the group Tell another facilitator you don’t want to work with her Reflect on your feelings outside the group and seek supervision if needed Make sure Simone knows you don't like her by turning away when she speaks and never making eye contact Scenario 4: Bianca’s Husband Before the group starts, Bianca’s husband catches you outside the room. He says he is worried about Bianca coming to the group because she might be negatively influenced by the mental health problems of the other women. Thank him for sharing his concerns and keep the conversation calm and professional Explain the group purpose: a supportive, confidential, non-judgmental space that promotes recovery and peer support Agree to stop Bianca attending to avoid “negative influence” Offer to share publicly available information about the group (e.g., ethos, safeguarding, ground rules) without breaching Bianca’s confidentiality Keep Bianca's attendance and content of discussion confidential Invite him to sit in the group to monitor Bianca Gently reaffirm Bianca’s autonomy to choose to attend and that you’re happy to answer any of her questions directly Let the office team know in the volunteero report in case the situation escalates Scenario 5: New Group - Silence After the Agreement It’s a new group. You’ve finished reading the group agreement. You open up the session for someone to speak. No‑one wants to speak. Normalize the silence: acknowledge that first sessions can feel daunting You start first, model sharing briefly and appropriately as the facilitator to set tone and safety Single out a quiet attendee Reassure the group that passing is always okay and there’s no expectation to share in depth today Pressure someone to talk Scenario 6: The Trio Sub‑Group Three regular attendees always sit together. They save chairs, only talk among themselves before the group, and sometimes break into a sub‑conversation while others are sharing. Reiterate the group value of inclusion and attentive listening during others’ turns Invite mixing seating occasionally to foster wider connection (without shaming anyone) If sub‑conversations continue, gently intervene in the moment: “Let’s all return to listening to X” Call them out publicly and ask them to apologise to the group Follow up with the group after the session if needed to explain impact and invite collaboration on solutions Scenario 7: Janine’s Social Media Posts Janine has been sharing Happy Mums posts and tagging other group members. She wrote: “It was great to hear about Lauren’s experiences of postpartum psychosis in the group today. I'm so proud of how much she's come along!” Thank Janine for promoting the charity while explaining privacy expectations Remind her of confidentiality: group content and members’ stories must not be shared without explicit consent Ask her to remove or edit posts that identify or imply another member’s personal story Ignore it—social media isn't public anyway Re‑state the group agreement at the next session about confidentiality online and offline Publicly correct her in the comments Scenario 8: Karen Karen was crying at the end of the group. She says most members are in a WhatsApp group and are going to soft play together; she wasn’t invited. Validate Karen’s feelings and thank her for telling you Suggest it could be unintentional Tell her not to worry - she's just being over sensitive Insist the group members include Karen in the Group Chat Offer signposting to other supportive spaces and community activities if she wishes Calmly explain, that while we understand the hurt feelings, we can't get involved in outside friendships Scenario 9: Leanne Leanne starts to cry after the group and says your comment about needing to be “more disciplined” with her son upset her and she doesn’t want to come back. Listen and validate, apologise for the impact, and thank her for telling you Get defensive and tell her she must have misheard you Clarify intent vs. impact; acknowledge where wording landed as judgmental Tell her that feedback is part of the group - she should accept it Offer a check‑in with the Facilitating Lead or DSL if she wishes, and invite her to return when ready Explore what support feels helpful and agree how feedback will be offered in future (e.g., curiosity, strengths‑based, consent‑based) Scenario 10: Shaz Shaz always goes first. Her turn can last up to 30 minutes, she's often going over the same things, it leaves others rushed. Vary the order so different people can go first each week Use summarising and refocusing to reduce repetition (“I’m hearing X—what feels most urgent today?”) Offer Shaz additional support outside of the group format (e.g., signposting for potential 1:1 counselling)) Let Shaz continue - she obviously needs the time Make a joke at the beginning of the next group shaming Shaz as a 'time-hog' Use the group agreement, adding a mention of time to the point around everyone having the chance to talk. At the beginning of the next group, give a rough estimate of time per mum to make sure everyone has the chance to be heard (50 minutes divided by 5 mums would be 10mins each) Time's up Submit a Comment Cancel replyYour email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Comment * Name * Email * Website Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
