Groups

Services >> Groups

Groups and Workshops are facilitated upon request. Please call us to inquire about a Group or Workshop or to have your name added to a wait list.

Pattern Changing

12 week educational group designed to assist women who have experienced abuse in an intimate relationship. This program focuses on the woman herself and her ability to change the course of her life. Topics include: the impact of abuse, family roles, boundary setting, feelings, assertiveness techniques, coping strategies, goal setting, healthy relationships, and changed patterns.

Setting Patterns

10 week group that builds on the knowledge women obtained from the Pattern Changing group. The topics of communication skills, feelings related to anger, developing new relationships and goal setting are discussed in a more in-depth context. Attitude of gratitude, co-dependency, shame and guilt, social skills and building resiliency skills are new topics introduced in this group. Participants are expected to complete weekly assignments that relate to each topic.

Growing Together

11 week group for mothers and children designed to break the isolation of abuse and promote the healing process. Children learn ways to cope with their feelings and behaviours that arise in families that have experienced abuse. Each week begins with the sharing of a light meal, followed by individual sessions for mothers and children. Topics include: self-esteem, expressing of anger/feelings, choices, safety planning, family changes, conflict resolution, understanding abuse, and the impact of abuse for the family.

Caring Dads

17 week group for men, which offers a combination of active group discussions, exercises and homework. Through the group sessions, Fathers will gain a better understanding of the following:

Skills to cope with frustrating situations in healthy ways
Different Fathering strategies and choices which affect children
Increased awareness of controlling, abusive and neglectful attitudes and behaviours
Strategies to strengthen the Father-Child relationship

Workshops

Self Esteem & the Power of Positive Habits

This workshop focuses on defining Self Esteem, understanding the values and worth that a woman places on herself, the myths that affect one's self image, and the characteristics of positive self-esteem. Women are provided with concrete steps to increase their self-esteem. This workshop also explores the benefits of having good self-esteem, such as developing decision making skills, obtaining more opportunities for personal growth, and healthy relationships.

Abuse & Anger

This workshop differentiates between abusive behaviours and expressing anger as a normal secondary emotion. The purpose of the workshop is to recognize that violence against women is not about losing control of one's emotions but rather the abuser's intent to induce fear, in order "to control" his/her partner. It demonstrates the need for women to understand anger, not eliminate anger. It acknowledges that anger can motivate change and be a positive force in the life of a woman who has been abused. The workshop explores what triggers anger, the suppression of anger and ways to effectively respond to anger and the emotions that cause it.

Healing from Shame & Guilt

This workshop differentiates between guilt and shame. It clarifies that guilt is about feeling you made a mistake and shame is about feeling you are a mistake. This workshop elaborates on the effects and the symptoms of guilt and shame. It discusses how studies indicate that women have stronger feelings of guilt than men and feel guilty for different reasons than men. It explores the twelve categories of shame for women while increasing their understanding of shame. The focus of the workshop is for women to develop tips to handle guilt and learn methods to heal from shame.

Healthy Relationships & Setting Boundaries

This workshop explores the differences between healthy relationships, unhealthy relationships and abusive relationships. This workshop demonstrates that healthy relationships are based on equality, trust, honesty, respect and open communication. The workshop also focuses on the importance of setting boundaries and using assertive communication to maintain healthy relationships.

Budgeting: Dollars & Sense

This workshop defines financial abuse, financial stress and their effects. This workshop demonstrates practical ways to build a budget that can work, exploring some "do's" and "don't's" and how to establish or repair a credit. Included in this workshop are the contents to make a budgeting tool kit.