HARLINGEN — The Divorce Care website urges people to not “go through separation or divorce alone.”
Treasure Hills Presbyterian Church Rev. Charles Palmer agrees. It’s one reason why the program will be offered at the church starting in October. It appears to be the first program of its kind to be held in the Rio Grande Valley.
“People all around us experience broken lives in many ways,” Palmer said. “One of the realities of today is separation and divorce. Most people will say it is the most painful and stressful experiences they’ve ever faced.”
Yet, Palmer said this was a need his church saw as not being addressed, except maybe through private counseling.
So now, Divorce Care will add the RGV program to its more than 6,000 churches across the United States. Palmer said working in a group with specialty leaders and facilitators is a better choice than private counseling.
“It is from the church parishioners who have gone through it in the past that I hear of the pain, challenges and desire to start again,” Palmer said. “They share the pain they lived in the past, often in an isolated way without any formalized support group to help. This program provides a listening group with suggestions and help to restore, heal and start a chapter in one’s life.
While Palmer said the church helps these struggling people with private counseling and sees their pain, the Divorce Care program takes the recovery to a new level, involving kids, teens and adults. And the results are far reaching.
“It is a spiritually-based curriculum which means we share for those interested how spiritual resources can be helpful in the journey as well,” Palmer said.
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WHO: Adults and children ages 5 and older, including junior and senior high school students
WHEN: 10-week program from Oct. 4 to Dec. 13, Tuesday evenings from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
WHERE: Treasure Hills Presbyterian Church, 2120 Ed Carey Drive in Harlingen
WHAT: A divorce recovery program to help children and parents heal from the trauma of divorce
WHY: This is the first church in the Rio Grande Valley to offer this program
HOW: Registration is $30 per person (there are scholarships available). Register by emailing [email protected] or calling Larry Crow at 534-4222 or Rev. Dr. Charles Palmer at 428-1906.
MORE: Go to www.Divorcecare.org
In the program, children and parents take part in classes and activities designed to comfort and alleviate their fear and uncertainties about their parents’ divorce.
The typical outcome both children and parents will have is to be better equipped to handle the pain and sadness which comes with divorce.
“Divorce Care is a friendly, caring group of people who will walk alongside you through one of life’s most difficult experiences.”
