My Weekly Eczema Support Group 2022

Last year, I hosted a weekly support group for women. Yes, other beautiful women and I showed up every single week for an entire year, including some of our very own eczema and TSW advocates.

This experience went so well that I decided to take on the challenge of doing it again this year in 2022, but specifically for my eczema and topical steroid withdrawal (TSW) community.

Connecting online

Nowadays, there are a lot of online platforms like Instagram and Facebook that support people living with eczema, including the platform you're currently reading this on. There are many pros to this, like the ability to connect with people from all around the world who share the same condition as you and the advantage of instantaneously sharing tips and resources.

It's felt superficial to me

While I myself use these platforms, I have felt like something has been missing. I don't just want to "connect" with an individual through a superficial friend request or 'liking' their photo. (Can we even really call that connection?) I prefer and desire to have honest conversations in real-time with them.

Real-time connection

Since COVID, I realized that I had been yearning for real connection – conversations in real-time. This sense of being open and available to another person and feeling empathy and compassion towards them. Authentically, not superficially.

Eczema Expo

Every time I think about the connection I long for, I think about the Eczema Expos put on by the National Eczema Association.

My first in-person expo was back in 2018, and I remember feeling so loved and seen by strangers – people I had never met before. It was like a family reunion with lost cousins and extended relatives! Why? Because there were real-time connections.

I got to experience the wholeness of a person – their being, facial expressions, energy, and aura. And that's what I want for our community because it was and is absolutely life-changing. Every expo that I attend, I feel seen and heard, and I am left with an immense appreciation and love for the beauty that lies beneath this condition – community.

Building community

So that is the 'why' I started these weekly gatherings. I wanted to create that consistent feeling of being seen and heard by others, not just for myself but for the eczema/TSW community at large.

Although our meetings are still virtual (for now), it's the next level up from posting comments and hitting 'Like' on a photo.

You're invited!

So I would like to invite you to participate if you feel called to! Please see the details below to see if this is something you'd like to be a part of.

• WHEN: Every Wednesday
• TIME: 7 PM EST/4 PM PST (Sorry in advance to my international warriors)
• WHERE: Zoom link (which you'll need to register to beforehand)
• WHO: Anyone living with eczema and/or going through topical steroid withdrawal (TSW), as well as caregivers and partners of those living with eczema/TSW.

The purpose?

To create:

• Community
• Healing
• Action

Community

A safe space where people who live with eczema and/or are going through TSW can come together and discuss their journey while learning from the experience and journeys of others. To feel supported by those who understand what they may be going through.

Healing

My intention for this group is that we create healing - healing in understanding our condition, healing around accepting our condition, and healing in knowing that living BEYOND this condition is actually possible.

Action

My vision is to empower you to take action to better your health and that of your loved ones (especially for my caregivers who are joining in). Healing occurs from a space of action. That's why I love the well-known biblical phrase, "Faith without works is dead" (James 2:26). Faith (belief of what is possible) + action = HEALING.

What can you expect from me?

• I'll show up every week.
• I'll simply listen.
• I'll support you in what you want to be supported in.
• I'll hold space for your journey aka just be there for you (maybe not physically, but spiritually and mentally).
• I'll create a safe space for you to be vulnerable and authentic to what you are experiencing.
• I'll facilitate each session with love, compassion, intention, and purpose.

How do you join?

If you are interested, you can send me a personal message with your name and email and I will send you more information. You can also sign up on my personal Instagram account at @ashleyannlora.

Please note: I want to be clear that this circle is not a replacement for receiving proper care from a healthcare professional. Participants should always consult their doctor to co-create a plan that works for them.