- Joined
- Nov 17, 2004
- Messages
- 10,361
- Reaction score
- 2,437
- Location
- Texas
- Gender
- Male
- Political Leaning
- Other
Banning burnout
What they need, one longtime activist recently decided, is some therapy — a good old-fashioned support group tailored for the liberal activist in need of emotional rejuvenation.
In February, the Activists' Support Circle was born. The group is the brainchild of L.A. peacenik Jerry Rubin, who said he saw his friends and colleagues hit an emotional low after the tensely fought fall presidential election. To his knowledge, he says, it's the first self-help support group in the country for activists.
"Some people were talking about leaving the cause," says Rubin, who runs the Alliance for Survival, a grass-roots peace and environmental organization in Los Angeles. "But we need a healthy progressive movement. We need to share our frustrations in a safe environment and be there for each other."
So far, the Activists' Support Circle has drawn about 40 people to its first few monthly meetings at the Friends Meeting Hall in Santa Monica. The meetings are informal; you won't find any 12-step program for the weary activist.
But the support group functions, in many ways, like any group therapy. Participants talk, listen, cry, hug and complain.
There is more than one thing about this that is amusing.
One is they hid this in the Medicine section of the Los Angeles Times.
What they need, one longtime activist recently decided, is some therapy — a good old-fashioned support group tailored for the liberal activist in need of emotional rejuvenation.
In February, the Activists' Support Circle was born. The group is the brainchild of L.A. peacenik Jerry Rubin, who said he saw his friends and colleagues hit an emotional low after the tensely fought fall presidential election. To his knowledge, he says, it's the first self-help support group in the country for activists.
"Some people were talking about leaving the cause," says Rubin, who runs the Alliance for Survival, a grass-roots peace and environmental organization in Los Angeles. "But we need a healthy progressive movement. We need to share our frustrations in a safe environment and be there for each other."
So far, the Activists' Support Circle has drawn about 40 people to its first few monthly meetings at the Friends Meeting Hall in Santa Monica. The meetings are informal; you won't find any 12-step program for the weary activist.
But the support group functions, in many ways, like any group therapy. Participants talk, listen, cry, hug and complain.
There is more than one thing about this that is amusing.
One is they hid this in the Medicine section of the Los Angeles Times.