Beyond Divorce - a Divorce Recovery and Support Group in Seattle, WA

Next workshop: Fall 2008
Beyond Divorce is a divorce recovery workshop sponsored by the University Presbyterian Church of Seattle, WA. Our goal is to offer adults and children who are going through divorce or separation a safe, non-judgemental workshop to begin the healing process. The 6-week Beyond Divorce workshop is held in the Fall and Spring. There is no requirement for you to be of the Christian faith, this is not a conversion or recruitment event. However, we do believe that healing and forgiveness are facilitated through Jesus Christ. Therefore, the path we take toward healing is in the context of Christ's message of hope, forgiveness and His love for us.

Our mission is to bring hope for restoration out of the brokenness of separation or divorce, and to point toward a brighter future through the understanding that this is not the final defining event in a person's life. Our goal is to provide a safe and supportive community for participants to share their pain and experiences, and to walk along side them as they begin to heal through Christ.

The Beyond Divorce workshop is not about giving advice but about facilitating the healing process. Our emphasis is on bringing people together who have gone through, or are going through, the extremely difficult experience of divorce or separation. Each week speakers, many of whom have experienced divorce firsthand, are invited to share their knowledge and experience regarding various aspects of divorce. Beyond Divorce speakers consist of psychologists, therapists, ministers and knowledgeable lay-speakers. Topics of focus include:

Speakers are given about 45 minutes, and the remaining hour is given to small groups, made up of 6-8 participants and 1-2 facilitators. Most participants cherish their time in small group, it is a time of sharing and healing with others in a confidential, non-judgmental and safe setting. Some small groups meet independently long after the workshop is finished, maintaining the valuable fellowship and safe circle of support. Check out just some of the personal testimonies and feedback we've received. In addition, we have a very popular Children's Program, now in it's sixth year, and is getting very good feedback! It runs concurrently with the adult program and is no additional charge, get more information on the Children's Program. The workshop is on Monday nights from 6:45 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. (upcoming schedule). To register for this class print out and complete our registration form. If you don't have adobe acrobat and cannot open .pdf files then you may click HERE to print and fill out this form.

If you live south of Seattle there is also a Divorce Recovery program put on by University Place Presbyterian Church in Tacoma, go to their Care Ministries page here.

In addition, the Beyond Divorce program periodically offers Fall Seminar Series in which we offer a focus on important and timely topics to help catalyze the learning and healing process. We have offered a variety of successful workshops, such as what it means to be 'Christian and Single' by Carmen Hoffman; 'The Healing Gift of Anger' by Dr. Mark Amundsen; and 'Boundaries - When to Say Yes, When to Say No', a video/lecture workshop based on the book and video by Dr Henry Cloud and John Townsend. By popular demand we plan to offer these workshops again in the future.