Divorce Recovery Workshops (non-denominational) A workshop for anyone suffering the loss of a love relationship.

They come in crisis with hurt, rage, guilt, loneliness, and despair. Many are fighting to survive the most traumatic crisis of their lives. Some are near suicide.

They leave in peace, optimism, renewed hope, and the knowledge of how to live rich, fulfilling life as a single person. Many have rediscovered how to love themselves and others. Some are nearer to God.

It sounds incredible, but that’s the Divorce Recovery Workshop at Christ United Methodist Church. The workshop is held throughout the year and  is open to anyone who has lost a love relationship, whether through divorce, separation or simply an ending of a current relationship.

Rev. Bob Feist, senior pastor, and qualified speakers and lay members of the church who have healed from their loss and want to pass on to others the gentle support and loving care that was shared with them, lead the course.

“All of us expect our marriages to last forever, so when a relationship dies, we are ill-equipped to deal with the loss,” said a recent course director. “Our message to participants is, ‘We know what you’re going through because we have been there ourselves. And, we want to help you heal and grow from this experience.’”

The format includes on-hour talks by experts on various topics, followed by discussion in small groups of six to eight people. Some topics include:

• Grief. What are the stages of mourning lost love, and how can you complete the process and become whole again?
• Self Esteem. Divorce eats away at the self-esteem. “You feel worthless and unattractive, like you have a big ‘D’ stamped on your forehead,” said one assistant course director. “We help participants rediscover their inner beauty and intrinsic self-worth.”
• Loneliness/Alone. Being alone does not have to mean being lonely. “You can choose to lead a whole, fulfilling life as a single,” she said. “Many people jump out of one relationship and right back into another one because they are so afraid of being alone. We think it is better to understand, accept and love yourself first.”
• Dating. “Many of us haven’t dated since high school and the rules back then don’t apply to someone in their 40’s,” said another assistant course director. “How do you make decisions about relationships or sex? How do you learn to trust again? It’s a scary world out there.
• Spirituality. One individual said he, like many other participants, came away from this first workshop felling closer to God. “It didn’t change my life overnight, but it did change the direction of my life.”

For more than 25 years, Christ Church has been offering the DA Workshop several times each year, helping hundreds of people annually. Christ Church members also carry this ministry to congregations in other cities and states.

A companion workshop is offered for children and teens of divorcing parents. Facilitators are single or married persons who have experienced divorce themselves, or who are grown children of divorce. The collapse of a marriage is tough enough for adults, but for kids it can be devastating. The fear of abandonment can cripple their emotional growth well into adulthood. We try to help them bring their fears and hurts out into the open to begin the healing process. Please email or call the church office for workshop dates for teens and children.

Childcare

Childcare is provided at no charge for newborn through fifth grade children of registered participants. If you would like to take advantage of this offer, please inform the church office of the names and ages of your children.

Costs

To cover expenses of the meals and materials, there is a $20 fee for the workshop. Limited financial assistance may be available. Contact the church office for further information and to apply for financial assistance.