Mothers' Groups
SUPPORT GROUP CALENDAR (Click to view Google Calendar)
MotherWoman groups provide safe places of mutual respect and non-judgement where mothers can build community and support one another as they navigate the realities of motherhood.
At MotherWoman we acknowledge the enormous impact that mothers have in the world, both through their children and through their own lives. Our vision is to provide an opportunity for all women to engage in a MotherWoman group that provides them with the support, education and community they need to flourish as women and as mothers.
For the most up-to-date information about when a group is meeting, please see our calendar, call our office at (413) 387-0703; or use the contact information listed below. Please note that in the event of school cancellations due to bad weather support groups will not be held.
All of our groups are organized by location.
Amherst
MotherWoman Group: Getting Real About Motherhood
Wednesdays 9:45am - 11:15am
Amherst Family Center, basement of the Unitarian Church (next to Barts), Downtown Amherst.
Community, diversity, self-discovery. Share laughter and tears. Be inspired. It's all here. Expectant mothers welcome. A free group with snacks and childcare provided up to age four.
This group follows the Amherst public school schedule and does not meet when the schools are closed or have delayed opening due to weather.
For more info contact the Amherst Family Center, (413) 256-1145, afc@stuaf.umass.edu. MotherWoman trained facilitator.
Sponsored by the Amherst Family Center, (413) 256-1145, Group Flier
Ashfield
A MotherWoman Group in Ashfield
Mondays 11:00am-12:30pm
(Last group before summer: 6/17)
St. John's Corner House, 469 Main St., Ashfield, MA
Join mothers for a free, safe, confidential drop-in group for mothers of infants and young children. Expectant mothers welcome. Mothers are welcome in this space to say what is true for them about motherhood. Feel heard, valued, understood, nurtured and energized. Free childcare is available for children up to age five.
This group follows the Mohawk Trail school schedule and will not meet when school is closed or delayed due to weather.
For more information please contact Anna Westley, MotherWoman Trained Facilitator at (413) 625-6948 or Anna@MotherwellDoulaCare.com, or visit the It Takes a Village website: www.itavillage.info.
Group Flier
Group Flier
Cummington
A MotherWoman Group in Cummington
2nd Thursdays, 10:00am - 11:30am
(Last group before summer: 6/13)
Cummington Family Center, 33 Main St., Cummington, MA
Join mothers for a free, safe, confidential drop-in group for mothers of infants and young children. Expectant mothers welcome. Mothers are welcome in this space to say what is true for them about motherhood. Feel heard, valued, understood, nurtured and energized. Free childcare is available for children up to age four. This group follows the Mohawk Trail school calendar - We will close for school holidays, vacations and weather closings.For more information please contact Stacey Mackowiak at (413) 634-8853 or smackowiak@yahoo.com, or visit the It Takes a Village website: www.itavillage.info.
Group Flier
Greenfield
Circle of Moms: We Are All In This Together
Fridays, 10 - 12:00pm
Community Action Family Center, 90 Federal St. Greenfield, MA.
Join mothers for a free, safe, confidential drop-in group for mothers of infants and babies who are experiencing a challenging postpartum time. Expectant mothers welcome. Feel heard, valued, understood, nurtured and energized. Free childcare up to four years old. Runs year-round except during December, February, and April school vacation weeks. Call for transpotration support.
Contact Mareike Muszynski (group co-facilitator) of CSO at (413) 774-1000 x 2048, mmuszynski@csoinc.org or Andrea Tomsho-Dexter of Healthy Families, (413) 475-1566, atomsho-dexter@communityaction.us.
Hadley
MotherWoman Postpartum Group: A Circle of Moms
Tuesdays 10:00am - 12:00pm
MotherWoman Office, 220 Russell St. (Rt. 9), Hadley, MA.
Join mothers for a free, safe, confidential drop-in group. For mothers of infants and babies up to one year old who are experiencing a challenging postpartum time. Expectant mothers welcome. Feel heard, valued, understood, nurtured and energized. Free childcare up to five years old.
Runs year-round except during December, February, and April school vacation weeks. This group follows the Northampton public school schedule and does not meet when the schools are closed or have delayed opening due to weather. This group does meet during Summer.
Contact Annette Cycon at (413) 387-0703 or annette@motherwoman.org. MotherWoman trained facilitator.
Group Flier
Holyoke
MotherWoman Postpartum Support Group
Wednesdays 1:00pm - 2:30pm
Midwifery Care of Holyoke, 230 Maple Street, Holyoke, MA.
Join mothers for a free, safe, confidential drop-in support group for mothers of infants and babies up to one year old. Expectant mothers welcome. Runs year-round. Contact (413) 534 - 2700. MotherWoman trained facilitator.
This program is administered by the Birthing Center at Holyoke Medical Center.
Heart to Heart Teen Mom & Baby Group
Coming Soon.
Mercy Care Holyoke
306 Race Street Holyoke, MA
(413) 536 - 7385
North Adams
The Birth Circle
2nd Monday of every month, 6:00-8:00pm, Shima Boutique, 65 Main Street, North Adams, MA.
(This group also meets in Pittsfield 3rd Monday of every month. See below for details)
The Birth Circle is a drop in support group which provides a safe space for mothers and their support system to explore the different aspects of pregnancy, birth and postpartum. Parents who wish to share and understand their own birth experience and the changes a new baby brings are welcomed to attend.
Partners and anyone interested in learning about the powerful process of birth are always welcome as are infants in arms. Emphasis is on birth's potential as a positive and transforming experience in the life of a woman and her family, and healing from difficult birth circumstances. For more information please contact info@gatheredwomen.org
Northampton
Mom's Night Out
1st and 3rd Mondays, 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Cradle, 3rd Floor, Thornes Marketplace, 150 Main St., Northampton, MA.
Join mothers for a free, safe, confidential drop-in group. For mothers of infants and children up to 4 years old who are experiencing a challenging postpartum time.
Expectant mothers welcome. Feel heard, valued, understood, nurtured and energized. Babes in arms are most welcome. We are sorry that childcare in unavailable.
This group follows the Northampton public school schedule and does not meet when the schools are closed.
Facilitated by Karen Bayne. For more information, see Cradle's Website, or call Cradle at (413) 341 - 5285.
Pregnancy and Postpartum Group for Partners: "The Other Parent"
4th Monday 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Cooley Dickinson Center for Midwifery Care, Northampton, MA.
A support group for the non-birthing partner (men and women) to explore issues related to pregnancy, birth, the postpartum period, and parenting. While you and the expectant mother have several questions, issues, and concerns that will be addressed throughout the course of her prenatal care, you---the non-birthing partner---may have questions and concerns specific to your role. This is a forum for you to ask your questions, share your concerns, and explore your role as a birth partner, support person, and parent. This group is free of charge, facilitated by experienced parents/partners.
For registration or more information, contact Kate Bohne at: Katherine_Bohne@cooley-dickinson.org or (413) 687-5817
Empty Arms Bereavement Support Organization: (4 groups)
Empty Arms Bereavement for Infant & Pregnancy Loss
4th Wednesdays, 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Conference Room D, Cooley Dickinson Hospital, 30 Locust Street, Northampton, MA.
The monthly bereavement meeting provides a safe space for families who have lost a baby during pregnancy, birth, or shortly after birth to connect and share about their experience.
In our meetings we support bereaved parents by naming the incredible challenges they are experiencing, knowing that this group is one of the few places where parents can speak the truth about the depth of their emotions and the details of their experience. We believe that speaking the truth about the heartbreaking journey of losing a baby is essential. Healing comes through understanding what we have been through and what may lie ahead. By speaking about our experiences they can become integrated into who we are and allow us to move along. We celebrate breaking the silence that bereaved parents have been historically subjected to. That being said, group members are also welcome to come just to listen to others' stories so that they can be supported by the knowledge that they are not alone. We believe nobody should suffer their loss alone.
Contact facilitator Carol McMurrich at (413) 529-1610 or carolmcmurrich@comcast.net for more information.
Miscarriage Support Group
Once monthly, 2nd Wednesday, 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Conference Room D, Cooley Dickinson Hospital, 30 Locust Street, Northampton, MA.
A monthly support group for women and partners who've experienced the loss of a baby by miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy. Please join us.
Miscarriage is something that happens far too often. It’s devastating, and it’s worth talking about. At MSG we create a safe place where women and their partners can openly share their stories of pregnancy and loss, or even just listen to others share, knowing that everyone else in the room has walked a similar road.
For more information, contact Lexi at lexi.walters@gmail.com or (515) 205 - 9855
Parenting after Loss
Once monthly, time and location varied; meetings are in member's homes, usually on weekends.
The Parenting after Loss Empty Arms group is intended for those who are parenting the older sibling(s) of a baby who has died, or who are parenting a subsequent child who has joined the family (through birth, foster care/adoption, or surrogacy) after a loss.
We know that parenting living children while grieving our babies is both a blessing and a challenge. We believe that parents have space in their hearts and homes for both their living children and for the baby or babies who have died. Parenting after loss includes challenges such as addressing the grief and other emotions felt by siblings of a lost baby, and balancing the daily care of living children with needed time to grieve. We recognize that there is no one right way to address these challenges, and that each family has the right to grieve and remember their lost baby or babies in ways that feel most comfortable to them. This meeting is a place where parents can support one another in both the joys and difficulties of this experience.
Contact faciliator Erika Parker at ehenyey@gmail.com for more details.
Subsequent Choices Empty Arms
2nd Wednesdays, time and location varied.
Subsequent Choices meetings are designed to provide a space for bereaved families to look towards adding a new baby to their family, while recognizing that their losses have a great impact on this next journey. This meeting is intended for parents who are currently pregnant as well as for those pursuing other means of expanding their families--adoption, surrogacy, etc. Topics related to pursuing pregnancy or other means of welcoming a new baby are very important areas of conversation for bereaved parents, but not everybody is ready to discuss them in detail in our regular bereavement meeting. In recognizing this, we welcome families who may be simply considering pregnancy or trying to conceive to attend our SC meetings to get a sense of what the pregnancy/adoption/surrogacy journey may be like, as well as to raise some of their own concerns about potential and hoped-for pregnancies. At Subsequent Choices our focus is on supporting families who are dealing with the complicated emotions of adding further children to a family who has lost a child and will support one another through this experience.
If you would like to attend, please contact the group facilitator, Carol McMurrich, at carolmcmurrich@comcast.net or (413) 529-1610. MotherWoman trained facilitators.
MOCAI's Color Play
Coming Soon.
Forbes Library, Northampton, MA.
Free, on going, drop-in for all families parenting children of color. We at MOCAI support the unique needs of families raising children of color in the Pioneer Valley of Western MA. We recognize that our children’s visual environment influences their concepts of self and normality. This group supports parents by addressing the cultural imbalances of their children’s community, encouraging self-acceptance and identity awareness. This free event includes a healthy snack, story and seasonal craft for all ages. Those with trans-racial adoptee children, LGBTQA parents, and children in foster care families are strongly encouraged to join us.
For more information contact Marisa Pizii at mocaigroup@gmail.com or visit us at http://mocai.org/.MotherWoman trained facilitator. This group is co-sponsored by MotherWoman.
Pittsfield
The Birth Circle
3rd Monday of every month, 6:00pm - 8:00pm, Treehouse, 305 North St, Pittsfield, MA
(This group also meets in North Adams 2nd Monday of every month. See above for details)
The Birth Circle is a drop in support group which provides a safe space for mothers and their support system to explore the different aspects of pregnancy, birth and postpartum. Parents who wish to share and understand their own birth experience and the changes a new baby brings are welcomed to attend.
Partners and anyone interested in learning about the powerful process of birth are always welcome as are infants in arms. Emphasis is on birth's potential as a positive and transforming experience in the life of a woman and her family, and healing from difficult birth circumstances.For more information please contact info@gatheredwomen.org
Springfield
MotherWoman Group: Keeping it Real
Tuesdays 10:00am - 11:30am
140 High Street, 1st Floor Conference Room, Springfield, MA
A drop in group for mothers to:
- Share the stress, adjustment to, and challenges of motherhood
- Experience a group of moms based on respect and non-judgement
- Get support and feel good about yourself as a mother and a woman
For more information, to arrange transportation, or join group, contact Angela Nuñez-Vazquez, Community Liaison Outreach Specialist, (413) 794-5068. MotherWoman trained facilitator.
Sponsored by the Baystate High Street Health Center
MotherWomen in the Hood
Restarting Soon.
Square One Main Office, 1 Federal St, Building 103 (across from the STCC, Future Works Building).
MotherWomen in the Hood is a group for mothers in recovery dedicated to supporting each other in their recovery and parenting. Light Snack/refreshments and childcare provided.
For more information, contact Fresh Start at (413) 535-1000
Heart to Heart: Teen Mom & Baby Group
Coming Soon.
Mercy Care Forest Park, 475 Sumner Avenue, Springfield.
Contact (413) 886-0410.
Somos Madres Poderosas
Coming Soon.
Brightwood Health Center/Centro de Salud, 380 Plainfield Street, Springfield.
Contact (413) 974-8365.
Wilbraham
MotherWoman Postpartum Support Group: Pathways for Moms
2/14, 2/21, 2/28- Pre-register at pathwaysforparents5@gmail.com, space is limited.
Thursdays, 10:00am - 12:00pm
Wilbraham United Church, 500 Main St., Wilbraham, MA.
This is harder than I thought! Face the challenges of being a parent with a safe, confidential support group for mothers with an infant up to 12 months.
For more information, contact Pathways for Parents at (413) 583 - 3527 or pathwaysforparents5@gmail.com. MotherWoman trained facilitator.
This program is funded in part by the Coordinated Family and Community Engagement Grant from the Department of Early Education and Care, and the Safe Schools/Healthy Students Program of the Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School District.
Calendar