New POSA Support Group begins in Rohnert Park, California

Once again, another intrepid POSA started her own free support group meeting in the Sonoma County area which I've heard has already grown to about 8 women, just by word of mouth from her and her therapist. Also, her therapist is part of small group practice and there is now an artful POSA Meeting flyer available for the other therapists and clients using that suite of offices.

I know these meetings can provide a lifeline back to reality and back to one's self....the self we were before the relational rupture of Discovery happened. And it can help to have a room full of what in Seminary was termed "Compassionate Witnesses" when we are in the early formation stages of creating our new lives after the old one has been shattered. Anyone who's ever gone through this trauma knows that nothing is ever the same after "D-Day". Who will 'hold' us and witness the we we are becoming?

Every day I get mail from POSAs asking me when they'll get some empathy for what they have been through....my response is, "We partners do that for each other!"....and "Do not wait to get empathy at home...if the addict had sufficient empathy, he couldn't have engaged in those behaviors, now, could he?"

My experience teaches me that women show up for each other in pretty powerful ways.
I received a text over Christmas that two POSAs who were part of a small group in New York a few years ago had recently reconnected as one was going through a trying divorce. They then decided to do Christmas Day dinner together....
And last week, I put a POSA from a midwest city in touch with another one from Canada, having heard they were coincidentally both going to be near a resort town on the west coast during the same week. A few days ago, I heard they met for lunch there....I want pictures!

One woman reaching out to another, we are building a wide net of resources-- each other.

Let's welcome the Rohnert Park, California group of partners as they begin their new year with a home-group of their own. For details about this meeting, e-mail: rohnertparkposa@gmail.com

What kind of kindred support would help you get through your betrayal trauma? We'd love to know...