Hi friends,<P>I am thinking its time for me to join a divorce support group in my area. I am fighting many fears that are coming up as a result of my divorce. Issues that caused my divorce, or surrounded it, are now haunting me in my current relationship or breakdown of it. <P>I feel lost, frightened and very much alone even though I have 3 beautiful children and so many friends. I have let my faith fall behind recently and I have to get back to that as well, but I'm curious about these support groups.<P>I feel safe here, I am annonymous. I can cry while I type. I don't feel so free in person with people. But I am curious about these groups . <P>I finally found one today in my area, called New Beginnings. They have 2 out of 3 programs that sound good to me. One is an 8 week program for people in crisis, which is certainly me. Another is a 10 week program about beginning again after loss, either by death, divorce or separation. <P>Please let me know if you have attended anything similar and what kind of impact it made for you. I'm really nervous about the whole thing. But my life right now, is in desperate need of something.<P>Hugs, Dana<BR>

Well I like the *name* of the group you found! <P>I believe in support groups -- like 12 step programs -- but my only concern is that many divorce groups are kinda fronts for "dating" services. Be careful choosing a good one... go through a church, perhaps??

DanaB<P>I mostly lurk here now. My divorce was final in Dec '99. I lead a divorce recovery support group at the church I attend here in Tucson. It uses material from an organization called DivorceCare (www.divorcecare.org).<P>A good group will help you understand the phases of grieving, the losses you endured, and offer suggestions on how to regain balance in your life.A good group will require confidentiality. What gets said in the group stays in the group. It should be a place you feel safe. You can vent you anger and frustrations and not be judged.<P>Regards, Tom<BR>

{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{DanaB}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}<P>My friend! I wish I could be there to hug you for a while. You know, the "just rest there for a while and I'll watch over you" kind of hug.<P>Well, my experience with support groups has been very positive. I went to a 36 week anger management group and I was sorry to see it end. It helped me a LOT to see that there were other women out there struggling with exactly the same kinds of feelings and stuff that I was. I think it would be helpful for you too.<P>But Dana, I want to remind you that if you ever want to talk or write, you can write to me personally at cindy_wolfe@blm.gov. I'll even give you my phone number if you ask for it!!<P><BR>CJ<P><P>------------------<BR>Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.