A therapeutic support group designed for adults with challenging family of origin relationships.

November 12 - December 3

@ 6:15 - 7:30pm

 

As a professional counsellor, every year in late fall, I begin to notice many of my private sessions with clients are beginning to circle around similar issues - primarily, my client’s challenging relationships with their families which are on full display throughout holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas. Many of my clients are expressing similar concepts of anxiety, exhaustion, frustration, grief, longing, despair and disappointment with regards to spending time with their family of origin throughout the holiday season. Most of the time, these emotions stem from deep patterns of emotional immaturity that has become commonplace in their families, leading to patterns of emotional neglect, aggressive communication, and inauthentic relationships. It’s no surprise that my clients find themselves dreading the holiday season before it’s even started.

Professionally, I began to wonder if it would help, in some small way, for my clients to understand that A) they are not in these experiences alone, B) there is a way to understand this hurt and pain beyond feeling that it is their fault and C) that there is hope for healing and for us all to feel differently about the holidays.

From this place of curiosity and compassion, this therapeutic support group was born. I truly believe it will be a life-changing opportunity for those who are willing to take the risk. I would be thrilled for you to join us.

Does this sound like you?

• emotionally depleted, stressed and angry over the holiday season, often feeling more exhausted after spending time with your family

• fantasizing about escaping, running away and not spending time with your extended family over the holiday season

• often leaving with immense internal hurt after time spent with family, rather than feeling supported, loved and respected

This support group will help you…

• understand why you feel the stress, anxiety, frustration and exhaustion towards your family of origin especially during the holiday season

• learn how to understand, grieve and filter your family’s emotional immaturity

• learn how to thrive during the holiday season through increasing your own emotional maturity, autonomy and connection to yourself

• reclaim the relationship you’ve always wanted and transform time with family from stress to self advocacy, from exhaustion to rich emotional self-connection

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Why a therapeutic support group? Group therapeutic experiences offer a unique quality of support and connection that comes from being with other people who are experiencing the same things that you are. Peer support through therapeutic support groups has been shown to reduce negative symptoms and increase wellbeing and personal growth. In group therapy, members can be agents of change for one another, as seeing and helping in others' progress can help you feel empowered in your own healing.

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What can I expect? Our hard holidays support group will be a discussion-based group, with some teaching and homework as well. Essentially, this means that discussion amongst members about their own stories, or reflections on others shared stories, will be the primary focus of our time together. At this time, this group has been created to accommodate up to 5 individuals who have been engaged in individual therapy previously. Participants are screened prior to acceptance into the group. Prior to the first session, all members are required to sign a consent form.

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Where, how & when? We meet together for 4 weeks, with each session being 1 hour 15 minutes. Each group session is held at 405 3rd Ave South in Stonewall, MB. The cost per session is $80, with an early bird discount of $5 off each session applied if full payment is provided before October 25. A workbook is provided to all participants free of charge. A superbill will be provided at the conclusion of the support group, which can be used for insurance reimbursement purposes.

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Who will be leading? This support group will be lead by Damaris Bredin and you are welcome to reach out to her privately by emailing her, using the button below. 

What will I get out of this?

While this will be a discussion-based group, we will have some direction in each meeting to facilitate conversation. We want this support group to be a safe place for you to freely express your emotions + experiences amidst other members who understand what you are going through.

In this safe space, it is our hope is that you will...

• understand and grieve how emotional immaturity impacts you around the holidays

• strengthen your own emotional maturity and autonomy

• reclaim the relationship you've always wanted

If you are interested in attending this support group, or are just wanting more information regarding what it all entails, please use the button below to fill out the form and Damaris will get in touch with you shortly. 

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