Heal together: why women’s groups are so powerful

Women's groups provide a supportive space to share experiences, bringing connection and understanding through co-regulation of the nervous system and emotions.

Read on to find out more about women’s groups, how to set one up, and how to join my own beautiful women’s group that blends the nurturing of a retreat with the shared experience of group therapy.

Women’s groups — sometimes called women’s circles — come in all kinds of forms. There’s no right, or wrong way, nor type of group that is out of bounds. It really depends on your interests and what is important to you.

Types of Women's Groups

1. Support Groups
   These groups provide a safe space for women to share their experiences, feelings, and challenges. They often focus on specific issues such as mental health, domestic violence, or parenting, bringing a sense of community and understanding which helps with healing.

2. Networking Groups
   Aimed at professional development, these groups allow women to connect with others in their fields or industries. They often host events, workshops, and seminars to promote skills, share knowledge, and create opportunities to collaborate.

3. Health and Wellness Groups
   These focus on physical and mental wellbeing. Activities may include yoga, mindfulness practices, fitness classes, and discussions about nutrition and self-care, promoting holistic health.

4. Cultural and Artistic Groups
   These groups encourage creative expression through various forms of art, including writing, painting, dance, and theatre. They provide women with an outlet to explore their creativity and often celebrate cultural heritage.

5. Advocacy and Activism Groups
   These groups focus on social justice, equality, and women's rights. Members engage in activism, raise awareness, and work towards policy changes that impact women's lives at local, national, or global levels.

6. Book Clubs
   These groups come together to read and discuss literature, offering a platform for women to engage in stimulating conversations. They can focus on diverse genres, including fiction, non-fiction, and women’s literature.

7. Mums Groups
   Specifically geared towards mothers, these groups provide support and community for women navigating motherhood. They often include playdates, parenting discussions, and resources for managing the challenges of parenthood.

8. Hobby and Interest Groups
   Focused on shared interests such as gardening, cooking, crafting, or sports, these groups offer an opportunity for women to connect through a common passion and develop new skills.

9. Women’s Retreats
   These gatherings often take place in serene settings and provide women with an opportunity to step away from daily life. Retreats typically include workshops, relaxation activities, and time for personal reflection.

10. Online Communities
    With the rise of technology, many women’s groups now exist primarily online, providing remote support and connection. These can cover a vast range of topics and interests, making them accessible to women regardless of location.

My Harmony Healing Women’s Group blends a women’s retreat with health, wellness, art, and nature, all wrapped up in a beautiful system of support.

Women’s Groups and Co-Regulation

Co-regulation refers to the process through which we support each other's emotional and physiological states. Bringing balance, safety and connection. This interaction can occur in any kind of caring relationships, including between therapists and clients, caregivers and children, or with partners.

In co-regulation, one person's nervous system can help to stabilise and soothe another's. This happens through a complex interaction between our mirror neurons, neuroception, and body language. Through shared experiences, people naturally engage in non-verbal cues like eye contact, facial expressions, physical proximity, or verbal reassurances and calming language or vocal tone. These sooth us, creating a mutual sense of safety and trust, which is essential for healing and emotional wellbeing.

The importance of co-regulation in group work especially highlights how interpersonal relationships can influence personal healing. By collaboratively navigating emotional states together, group members find greater regulation of their own nervous systems, ultimately facilitating deeper healing and resilience.

Why Women’s Groups Work

Women's groups provide a supportive space where we can safely share our experiences. That sharing, and the co-regulating connection that follows, builds a deep understanding and appreciation of our own situation and difficulties.

Done well with safety coming first, a women’s group encourages vulnerability. This allows women to express their emotions without fear of judgement. This shared experience can break the isolation often felt in the face of trauma or anxiety, bringing a sense of belonging and acceptance which is such an important aspect of healing.

In a group setting, the diverse narratives of participants offer new perspectives on personal challenges. Hearing how others have navigated similar struggles can inspire hope and resilience, making it easier to shift focus on our own issues.

There is also something profound about the collective wisdom within these groups. When women come together, we can facilitate healing through sharing coping strategies and techniques in the most powerful way.

Women's groups that focus on holistic approaches that acknowledge the mind-body connection have huge potential. Engaging in somatic practices together enhances the capacity to attune to bodily sensations, promoting awareness of how trauma and stress manifest physically. This collective exploration can deepen individual healing journeys, making the process feel less daunting and more accessible.

Working together in this way can extremely empowering. By sharing our stories, we reclaim our narratives, bringing agency over our healing. You’ll often hear me say that agency is the antidote to trauma. The supportive atmosphere of a women’s group reinforces the belief that we are not alone, empowering us to take active steps towards recovery.

In essence, women’s groups facilitate healing by creating safe spaces for connection, sharing, and empowerment. Through understanding and supporting one another, we can engage more deeply in self-discovery and our healing journey.

If you’re interested in joining my women’s group that I hold at regular events through the year, drop me an email at claire@harmonhhealingservices.co.uk and I will share more details with you.