The weight loss‘ book club’ 197 as with most jobs what makes it fun is the people we work with – the‘ team’. In the therapy world we call the‘ team’ a‘ group’. Groups are a very powerful tool. I use them all the time in psychotherapy and especially in helping people lose weight. There are different kinds of groups from heavy duty groups that require a skilled therapist( e. g., sexual abuse groups); through educational groups( e. g., any tutorial group or small class) that require an expert on the topic; to book clubs that require just a coordinator to arrange meetings. While I’ ve never been allowed to attend my wife’ s Book Club – I hear lots about it and wish I could( see quote at beginning of chapter!). It is obvious that it offers a lot more than a reading list! In reality it’ s a forum for support from like-minded women. Something almost magical happens in a well run group that runs for the longer term. Over time, the group members come to relax, trust and accept each other just as they are. Often some people who don’ t fit in leave and others join so that over time the group settles into a comfortable rhythm. The more different the members the more powerful the group. It is not about having likeminded members( too much sameness) but about having open-minded members. There is something very special about having a group that you belong to, that accepts you just the way you are. Most of us have too few such experiences. Us blokes don’ t really have an equivalent, at least one that does not involve copious amounts of alcohol – which is one reason why we can’ t really run them for the longer term – as we become alcoholics! I think this explains why traditionally men sign up for the armed forces. While they like to say it is because they get to shoot guns and drive big toys – it’ s only because they are too embarrassed to admit that what they really enjoy is the comradeship( often followed by the drinking). The power of groups When it comes to losing weight support groups are our secret weapon. In a group you will see how other people approach similar problems to your own but in a completely different way. In a group we are shown creative