Once the bonds have been formed in a group, I believe it is difficult to bring in new members. Lacking the group history, new members inadvertently jeopardize the feeling of safety in the group. If your group is not getting into personal, intimate, or emotional issues on a regular basis but is focusing on issues, ideas, and books, you may experience success in leaving membership open. Otherwise, I suggest keeping the membership restricted to initial members. Members of the group must agree that whatever happens at group meetings stays within the group.
Nothing is shared with friends or relatives or husbands or significant others.
This rule is vitally important, for if it is broken the people who have shared their innermost feelings may feel their trust has been violated. The group's safety issues will come up as a whole and there will be less willingness to share and connect. Recently a friend of mine asked me to join a women's spiritual support group she was forming with people she knew from our religious organization. A memory began to emerge in my mind, slowly and dimly at first, then gaining speed and clarity until I achieved full recall. A picture of thirteen women including myself filled my mind's eye.