Start a Group

Go From This …

Anger & Shame …

To This …

While I highly recommend it as a successful model to help you through recovery, it is not necessary to own the book REPAIR or be working the program to start a Lamplighter Chapter of your own. This website is primarily to encourage the formation of Lamplighter Chapters.

No qualifications needed other than a sincere desire to be supportive of child sexual abuse victims who are trying to recover and a commitment to follow the Code of The Lamplighters.

How to Start a Chapter of Your Own

Whenever one or more is gathered…

  • Locate a safe place to hold your meetings: hospital conference rooms, churches, recovery centers, etc.
  • Decide on the meeting format and the frequency that works best for your group
  • Spread the word in any way you can: Twelve Step meetings, flyers, ask local radio stations and newspapers to advertise
  • Ask counselors in your area to recommend The Lamplighters to their clients
  • Commit yourself to following the Code of The Lamplighters

It’s so easy! Even if it’s just you and a friend sitting in a coffee shop telling your stories and being supportive of each other, that constitutes a Lamplighter Chapter. The facilitator of a meeting is responsible for finding a place to hold the meetings, deciding on the time, frequency of meetings, etc. and then getting the word out. Once you make a decision to start a chapter an announcement will be entered on our Home page and your location, email address and name will be added to our Chapter Locations page along with the information on all the other chapters. That way you can access by email each other with ideas and support.

All of the Lamplighter facilitators and potential facilitators are in touch with each other by email to give encouragement, support and ideas. Feeling that a movement of one voice would give more power to these survivors, we hope one day to have Lamplighters all around the world. Are you in a position to start a Chapter or do you know anyone who could? We need an army.

Please let me know if you decide to form one, so that we can maintain our national directory on our Chapter Locations page and pass the torch to new groups. I will be happy to help you start one in any way I can. It is also important that you let me know if you decide to no longer wish to have a chapter for whatever reason. That way we can remain accurate on our locations.

You don’t have to be a survivor to start a Lamplighter Chapter although most of our facilitators are. We welcome advocates, therapists and counseling centers!

Contact Person

Some of you are not able to start a Lamplighter Chapter for various reasons but still want to be a part of the Lamplighter Movement. I understand. We are initiating an alternate Lamplighter program. It is called the Contact Person but is still a part of the Lamplighter Army. Let me know the town and state (or country) you are from and I will list your location under Chapter Locations. That way, if someone in your town needs support they will see that they are not alone. They will email me and with your permission I will give them your email address. That way, while still being anonymous, you can chat on the Internet through emails; you can speak with each other on the phone or you can meet for a cup of coffee. You will have someone to share your story with and would be a part of our Lamplighter Army, our own National Guard. If you should decide at some point that you want to start a chapter (and hopefully now have another contact to start it with you) you can contact me and I will help you set one up. This website is the hub, directing everyone to help.

Contact margie@thelamplighters.org for further information and for how to contact a Chapter near you.

Join the Army of Lamplighters!

Give Thanks

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