The Dynamics of Mutual Aid

“As Shulman (1986) has noted, mutual aid groups are very compatible with social work’s “beliefs in self-determination, starting where the client is, reaching for clients’ strengths, etc.” (Shulman, 1986, p. 51). Shulman (2009; 1986) described and later elaborated on these groups employing such processes as “sharing dat…”

“In general, with mutual aid groups, sharing such data is helpful (Shulman, 1986).”

“common emotional experiences [41, 42] and the translatability of this type of support to the online domain.”

“Shulman (1986 ) describes one function of mutual aid or peer contact as the “all in the same boat phenomenon” (p.”

“One of the most common behaviors that stood out in the students' “support group,” for example, was the participants' use of the expression “all in the same boat” ( Shulman, 1986 ; Yalom, 1995 ).”

“…the ability of the group to adapt and evolve in an organic way, for example shifting its psychotherapeutic model (from SEGT to something more akin to mutual aid [97, 98]) and creating a more democratic structure that allowed participants to have a greater say in the running of the group [72, 79].”

“Shulman (1986) offered an elaborate delineation of mutual aid processes as (1) sharing data, (2) reconciliation of opposing views into new solutions, (3) exploring taboo subjects, (4) all in the same boat, (5) emotional support, (6) mutual demand, (7) helping with specific problems, (8) behavioral…”

“The BTA facilitator incorporated mutual aid elements like the strength in numbers phenomenon (Shulman, 1986) to help members feel less isolated in their experiences living with HAND.”

“In social work practice with groups, the notion of the small group as a change catalyst has often been explored using a dynamics of mutual aid perspective ( Jagendorf & Malekoff, 2000 ; Shulman, 1985 ; Steinberg, 2004 ).”

“Norman, 2008; Gleeson & McGorry, 2004; Shulman, 1986), and researchers’ own experience in conducting support groups.”

“Second, peer support can be informed by the helper therapy principle (Riessman, 1965) and related mutual aid theory (Shulman, 1986).”

“Mutual aid is simply the process of people helping each other (Shulman, 1986 ).”

“It is widely acknowledged that practicing group work requires learning a complex set of skills (Berger, 1996; Glassman & Kates, 1990; Kurland & Salmon, 1993, 1998; Lazar, 2007; Salmon, Getzel, & Kurland, 1991; Shera, Muskat, Delay, Quinn, & Tufford, 2013; Shulman, 1986; Steinberg, 2010; Sweifach & LaPorte, 2009; Yalom…”

“The potential for these processes to operate is particularly strong in group-based interventions grounded in social network and social support theories (Shulman, 1986).”

“The “all-in-the-same-boat” phenomenon identified by Larry Shulman (1986) is a building block of effective group work and a healing component of mutual aid.”

“The therapeutic factor of universality is critical for the group to develop a sense of being “all in the same boat” (Shulman, 1986).”

“, providers including social workers, psychologists, and mental health trainees) encouraged mutual aid and support regarding families’ experiences as parents of a child with CFD (Baker et al., 2009; Nelson et al., 2012; Shulman, 1986).”

“The therapeutic approaches underpinning WOD include Solution Focused Therapy, which focusses on client strengths to make their lives more satisfactory (Corcoran & PIllai, 2009) and the peer support Mutual Aid Model (Shulman, 1986).”

“Program-based engagement strategies such as mutual aid groups and peer support have long been used in substance abuse treatment and mental health care [59–61].”

“These assumptions are congruent with the principle of mutual aid; that sharing common characteristics, goals, or challenges in a supportive setting can provide a foundation for mutual understanding, trust, openness, inclusion, acceptance, cohesiveness, and increased self esteem (Shulman, 1986; Steinberg, 2003).”

“We propose trying to reach this goal by borrowing the question “why” proposed by Mullender et al. (2013) and by using the mutual aid dynamics proposed by Shulman (1985) to truly anchor the process of critical consciousness in changes in members’ behaviors.”

“…process, discussing taboo topics, common concerns or an “all-inthe-same-boat” phenomenon, mutual support, mutual demand, and strength in numbers (Shulman 1986; Steinberg, 2004) can be more quickly mobilized in groups utilizing nondeliberative group activities because activity and mutual aid…”

“The dynamics of a group, such as exploration of taboo topics, the “all in the same boat” phenomenon, emotional support, mutual demand, mutual expectations, and helping with specific problems are important aspects of a group activity (Shulman, 1986).”

“Shulman ( 1986 , 1987, 2008) builds on Schwartz's conception of mutual aid and provides useful concepts in the consideration of these dynamic processes; he stresses the importance of developing understanding of these dynamics to aid us as in our work and in our role as facilitator of the processes of mutual aid.”

“(Northen and Kurland, 2001, p. 229) The group worker needs skills to lead the group towards a discussion about race and ethnicity and to support group members in discussion about it (Shulman, 1986).”

“Group-work models that have been used previously with this population include mutual aid groups, to increase sharing of information, support, and social connection (Cohen & Graybeal, 2007; Shulman, 1986), as well as self-directed social action groups, to investigate sources of oppression and inequality and create move…”

“These goals fit well with the social work profession's tradition of group work and its emphasis on mutual aid and social support (Gitterman, 1989; Miller, in-press; Schulman, 1986).”

“These settings offer little to no clinical care and instead focus on self-determination and a drive for health and growth, which is most effectively supported when individuals are integrated as equals within a group (Shulman, 1986).”

“…eye fore-grounded relational accountability (Wilson, 2020), embodied pedagogy (Cajete, 1994), and collective ethics rooted in land and kinship, while the Western eye highlighted familiar group processes such as peer support, shared leadership, and mutual aid (Gitterman, 2005; Shulman, 1986).”