The pains of divorce & separation are real, but they don’t have to last. For many, making a New Year’s resolution to attend a DivorceCare group has been the key to healing. This is an article we are passing on.
WAKE FOREST, NC, Dec 2009/Christian Newswire/ — For people facing the pain of divorce or separation, the New Year is a good time to commit to the healing process. A marital breakup can be devastating for the individuals going through it, as it affects emotions, self-esteem, children, finances & daily energy levels. With so much personal upheaval, most people going through divorce are unsure of how to find complete healing from the hurt, & hope for the future.
Many experience a breakthrough in this process by attending a DivorceCare divorce recovery support group. More than 12,000 churches across the country & around the world are equipped to offer DivorceCare programs.
Steve Grissom, founder & president of DivorceCare, believes the start of a New Year is a great time to put a plan in place to find healing: “A key step in healing is anticipating a brighter future, instead of focusing on the hurts of the past. Joining a DivorceCare group is a proactive step in that direction.”
The groups are made up of people who underst& the depth of emotions, the questions “Why?” & the desperation often faced by those in a divorce or separation. Because they have this underst&ing, they won’t judge the decisions, emotions or actions of those who come.
“I came into the program with fear of rejection & was welcomed with open arms,” said Heidi, a participant in Warren, MI. “People totally understood what I was going through.”
These biblically based support groups are designed to be led by trained, mature facilitators who’ve experienced divorce or separation. They can help answer questions posed by group participants & point people to practical & spiritual help to aid the healing process.
A typical group meeting begins with a magazine-style video seminar featuring insights from top experts on divorce & recovery subjects, & profiles of people who’ve experienced healing after a divorce or separation. Featured experts include H. Norman Wright, Dr. Jim Talley, Dr. Tony Evans & Dr. Linda Mintle. After viewing the video, DivorceCare group members participate in a moderated small group time to discuss concepts learned on the video & to share personal struggles & victories (although some people choose not to share). Each person then receives a workbook with a short, daily devotional study & journaling section for reflection during the week.
Through DivorceCare, participants will learn to:
· Identify & cope with tough emotions, such as anger, loneliness & depression
· Manage their new financial situation
· Make wise choices regarding their children (if applicable)
· Carefully manage new relationships
· Find out more about forgiveness & reconciliation
· Lean on God for acceptance, comfort & healing
“I came to the group broken, & left with a restored faith in God,” said Dawn, a DivorceCare participant from Tacoma, WA. “I felt as if I was no longer alone in what was one of the deepest & darkest times of my life.”
The thought of taking that first step into a DivorceCare group can seem scary, & people often come up with all kinds of excuses not to go in. But these groups are filled with people who’ve felt exactly the same, & who did take that first step. They will be there to make newcomers feel welcome & comfortable.
“The first night I came to a DivorceCare group, I didn’t know a single person there,” shared Mike, who attended a group in Raleigh, NC. “I wasn’t sure what to anticipate. We watched the videos, had a time of fellowship & had a discussion time. For people hesitating to attend a group, I would encourage them to relate it to getting up to go to work–some days you don’t feel like it, but you know what’s best for you.”
To find a DivorceCare divorce recovery support group, visit www.divorcecare.org/findagroup & enter a zip code, city/state or country for a list of groups near you. Or call 800-489-7778 for assistance in locating a group.
