The significance/importance of relationships and connection of women in working through emotional distress and building personal empowerment is illustrated in the process model. The group process model of empowerment draws from both the current theories of women's psychological development and social interaction theory in illustrating the process toward empowerment occurring in females in group settings. A shelter group, designed for battered women, can provide the genesis for self-empowerment, a missing component in the adult development for most of these women. The evaluation of other women's groups demonstrates the occurrence of the empowerment process in diverse group settings. The process of instilling compassion for oneself and others, and engaging in mutually satisfying and empowering relationships can enrich the understanding of women's groups for work, study, support, peer supervision, friendship, business, research, activity, political action, governance, and peace keeping. Personal empowerment for women is essential to changing the institutional and societal conditions that currently contribute to the "disempowerment" of women. The process model can serve to structure and enhance groups designed for women's empowerment. For where women gather together, there exists a potentially fertile environment to develop connections and to attain personal empowerment. (ABL)