Support groups and classes provide a safe, non-judgmental and confidential place to connect with others who have shared similar experiences. Therapists facilitate all groups. Most groups run one session a week for a set number of weeks.
Safe Connections support groups and classes are free and are available to women 18 years of age and older who have experienced relationship violence, sexual assault and/or are adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse. We also have on-site groups for teens ages 13-18. (More info on TeenGroups)
Contact Rachel at 314.646.7500 x147 for more information. Women interested in becoming clients of Safe Connections should contact Megan at 314.646.7500 x118.
Support Groups
Steps to Healing in Relationships
This program is for women who experience emotional or physical violence or who are affected by memories of past abuse. It explores the definitions of abuse, the effects of domestic violence on self and family, ways of coping with abuse and how to identify abusive people.
Building Healthy Relationships
This group is for women who have experienced abuse and have difficulty forming trusting relationships. It explores ways to enhance positive social and intimate relationships, including developing assertiveness skills, maintaining healthy boundaries, defining healthy relationships and learning how to stop the legacy of violent relationships within the family.
Healing Through Art
This program is designed to help women work through experiences of abuse using art and dialogue. Art experience is not necessary for this group.
Nurturing You
This program offers ways to nurture the person within each of us by exploring the value of self-care.
Trauma Recovery and Empowerment
This program offers support to women who have experienced severe and traumatic physical, emotional and/or sexual abuse and struggle with painful thoughts, feelings and emotions. It focuses on self-empowerment, personal trauma history, safety and self-growth. Due to the complexity of issues addressed in this group, it requires a commitment longer than the typical 8 weeks, and participants must be receiving or open to enrolling in individual therapy with Safe Connections or another agency of client's choice.
Contact person for existing clients: Your Individual Therapist
Parenting After Domestic Violence
Children who have witnessed domestic abuse often behave differently and require different parenting styles than those who grow up in safe households. This group is for women with children who are either experiencing or have experienced domestic violence and explores how to parent children when domestic abuse is or was present in the home.
Understanding You
A group all about the most important person you'll ever be in a relationship with - you! Learn about and discuss issues like self-esteem, mindfulness, communication styles, assertiveness, personality prerferences and personal goal setting.
Feelings 101
This group is designed to help participants better understand the purpose and function of our various emotions (such as anger, sadness, happiness, fear, etc.). Through mindfulness, meditation and art exercises, participants learn how to identify feelings and how to respond to emotions in a healthy way. This group also discusses how to more effectively manage painful emotions and how to communicate our feelings to others.
Seeking Safety
10-12 week program from women who have experienced physical, emotional, and/or sexual abuse and who also have a history of substance abuse. Seeking Safety encourages new ways of staying safe and strengthens healthy coping skills. It focuses on connections, setting boundaries, triggers and recovery thinking.
Relaxation Group
A group that offers different relaxation techniques.
Self-Esteem Group
This series helps women understand the causes of low self-esteem and offers new ways to reverse negative self-talk and build positive self-regard.
Body Image Group
For women who struggle with their own body image or are concerned about how women are portrayed in society.
Boundaries Group
What are boundaries? Why are they important? Do you have healthy boundaries? Explore interactive ways to incorporate them into your life and relationships.
Intuition Group (ie: Gift of Fear Group)
Based on Gavin DeBecker's book, "Gift of Fear." Learn about your gift of intuition and how your sixth sense can reduce your risk of danger and increase your awareness and safety.
Classes
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
A group specifically designed for women who struggle with one of more problem behaviors connected to painful thoughts and feelings. The group consists of four modules- core mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, emotion regulation and distress tolerance-each of which takes 6-8 weeks to complete. Participants may join the group at the beginning of any module and participants must be receiving individual therapy at Safe Connections.
Contact person for existing clients: Your Current Therapist
For women interested in being SC clients: Megan
Building Effective Communications Skills (BECS)
This group is for women seeking healthier ways of communicating their needs to others. Members will learn assertive communication skills, how to decline a request, traits of passive, aggresive and passive-aggressive communication styles and body cue awareness as it relates to emotions. Role plays and take home exercises may be included as well as journaling.
Support Services Staff
314-646-7500
Elizabeth Clinical Group Manager (ext.141)
Rachel Support Services Therapist (ext. 147)
Bob Support Services Therapist