• Ethos of self-help
• Ethos of mutual respect, support and empathy
• Acceptance that voices, visions, tactile sensations and other unusual or extreme experiences or beliefs are real
• Acceptance that people are not less for having voices, visions, tactile sensations and other unusual or extreme experiences
• Attendance is completely voluntary and self-determined
• Primary focus is sharing experiences – no more, no less
• No assumption of illness
• Freedom to interpret experiences in any way
• Freedom to challenge social norms
• Not a treatment or a therapy
• Social group not clinical group
• No clinical pressure on facilitator to report back on attendance, participation, etc.
• All group members are considered experts, there is no one expert
• Ordinary, common language is used
• No discharge process
• No risk assessment
• Confidentiality within group is maintained as much as possible
• Group is aware of any limits to confidentiality
• No referral needed
• Group is a community to which people belong
• Members join for as long as it suits them
• Ethos of accepting people as they are
• Group decides limits to confidentiality
• Equality between everyone in the group
• Decisions are made by all the group together
• Problems are worked out within the group
• Aim is for all groups be to be facilitated by individuals who have lived experience