Number 50 on my 101 in 1001 list is to go to support group meetings regularly (infertility, pregnancy loss and adoption as needed). Easy enough, right? There are plenty of infertility support groups and infant loss support groups but I’ve really struggled to find an adoption support group. The closest things have been a support group for people parenting after adoption and a support group through our agency that meets quarterly but only after you’re on the books and officially waiting. Option number one isn’t applicable to me and option number two isn’t enough.
What about support for the people who are dipping their toe in the adoption world and are completely overwhelmed by learning a whole new language after finally figuring out how to speak infertility? What about support for the people who are finally starting the process and debating about which country they want to adopt from and which agency they want to use or if they even want to use an agency at all? What about support for the people who are feeling the massive invasion of privacy of the home study process? What about support for the people who are trying to create their profile book and video and realizing that they need to “market” themselves? That’s a lot of people who could use some people to talk to.
While I was searching for a support group to do all that, I realized that Resolve offers peer-led support groups. These are groups that are led by people who are infertile just like you and me. (Well, some of you. I don’t think all of my readership is infertile.) That’s when I realized that just because there wasn’t a group in the area, doesn’t mean that there couldn’t be a group in the area. I could start the group I am looking for.
So, I emailed Resolve, took a training, filled out an application, had a little “interview” and here I am. I am looking for a good location to hold the group and trying to figure out a date and time that will work best. Once all that is done, it will be posted on the Resolve site.
If you build it, they will come.
Let’s hope so.
Supposed to be my symphony 
Awesome. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, then create it. Good work, lady, I bet a lot of people will be helped by a group like this.
Thanks! I hope so!
This is great! I think it’s awesome that you’re doing this!
Thank you! I’m excited!
Wow! This is awesome. You go girl! Talk about rocking #50 on the list! Congrats on taking this step forward … All the best as you navigate through the next stages of healing and moving forward.
Thank you! I definitely think it will help me and I hope that it helps others.
Good for you! I recently started a Christian-based infertility support group at my church with a few other women because there is nothing in this area that is offered by any organization (religious or otherwise) on the topic of infertility. My church was willing to let us do it as long as we made it Christian-based and we found some good resources to use. We’re hoping to open it up to the local community outside of the church at some point.
That’s awesome! How is it going??
It is going well. We finished our first book together (Hannah’s Hope) and are searching for a new book to read together while we plan for ways to open up our group to new people. My original plan wasn’t to have a Christian-based support group because I wasn’t sure if I was ready to bring my faith into the discussion. Like many women, I lost my faith for a while during the IF battle, but I returned to church out of habit and tradition and found that it can also help sooth the wounds. So, although I would have preferred a non-religious support group, I am really happy that my church was forward-thinking enough to offer us the time and space to get this group started and now is supporting us in opening it up to others in the fall.
Good luck with your group!
I read Waiting for Daisy. It’s not a Christan book so I don’t know if that’s an issue. I’m mixed on it. It wasn’t perfect and there were some things she said that I didn’t agree with but could be worth looking into.
You are amazing! This is awesome. And you are serving it to the list!
Thank you! I’m really excited to be doing it. I hope it goes well.
That is great!! I sure wish there was something like that where I live.
Thanks! You should look into starting a group!
What?!? You are a rock star. I thought about doing that way back when for infertility since there wasn’t one in my area but I wasn’t brave enough. This is really awesome.
Thanks! I wish I had been going to my IF support group when you were looking for one. I didn’t start going til after my loss but they are awesome! I would have forced you to make the drive down. 🙂