171 Ashley Ave.
Charleston, SC 29425
843-792-1414
800-424-MUSC
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The Parent Experience: A Support Group for Families of Children with Disabilities
Parents who receive news that their child has a diagnosis or a disability have one thing in common - the news they received was not what they planned for their child or for themselves. They are about to embark on an unexpected journey but they don't have to travel alone.
The Parent/Family Support Group of the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) Children's Hospital provides a network of families, friends, and health care professionals. The team of professionals are family-centered, knowledgeable, and culturally competent for children with special health care needs.
The Parent/Family Support Group is designed to listen to families about issues that matter to them. The group will be both educational and supportive and parents will be encouraged to address issues such as adjustment to their child's diagnosis, ways to work better with one's spouse, explore the sibling experience, express how their child's diagnosis affects them socially and emotionally, talk about successes, share challenges, provide resources to one another, and address concerns about their family's future.
The Parent/Family Support Group, will be offered in five consecutive sessions on Tuesdays, 7-9 p.m. The group will be lead by Dr. Jennifer Gans and an MUSC resident co-leader and will run in a five week session format. The cost of each meeting will be $10. The meetings will be held off the MUSC campus at the private practice office of Dr. Gans located at 235 Calhoun St. Call (843) 532-1010 for more information or to register.
Five Week Group Outline
Session I:
- Introductions
- Therapist's Background
- Group Policy Discussion
- The Stages of Grieving
- Group Process
- Questions and Answers
Session II:
- Why Me?
- Making Sense of Life Challenges
- Continued Discussion of Grieving Process
- Why am I angry at my doctor?
- Group Process
- Questions and Answers
Session III:
- Marital Stress: How to Strengthen the Couple
- Other Family Members
- The Sibling Experience
- Group Process
- Questions and Answers
Session IV:
- What Will My Child's Future Be Like?
- Anxieties about the Future
- What about finances?
- Group Process
- Questions and Answers
Session V:
- Review of Lessons Learned in Group
- Where do we go from here?
- Sharing Resources
- Group Process
- Questions and Answers
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