Rather than trying to cope with Silicon Valley’s fast-paced, stressful life alone, some people take advantage of the support offered through counseling or therapy. Sometimes support groups can be helpful – they provide awareness or consciousness, followed by education, growth and acceptance that help in the healing process. Such groups addressing many areas of need are available in South Valley. The Morgan Hill United Methodist Church (17175 Monterey St.) hosts several (free or with sliding-scale fees) that are focused on common, everyday trials and tribulations.
Patricia Egan, Marriage Family Therapist (MFT) intern, explains that therapy groups are different from social groups: Each therapy group agrees to guidelines and rules for confidentiality so that members can feel their personal information is secure and won’t be shared outside the group. With the guidance of a therapist, participants learn parameters for sharing and how to become supportive listeners. In time, group members discover that they are not alone and are offered new ways to manage stressful challenges that often help them to heal, grow and make changes in their lives.
Sessions are held in The Annex. A century ago, the charming, two-story building was the parsonage where the pastor’s family lived; today it contains the church offices and a cozy parlor for small groups. Currently, there are four therapy groups that meet here on an ongoing basis; each is based on 10-week sessions.
• The Good Grief Group meets from 2 to 3:30 p.m. the first and third Sundays of each month. Its focus is on support for loss of a loved one, identifying the five steps involved in grieving, and acceptance of loss with compassionate, understanding guidance.
• Confident Parenting Skills meets from 6:30 to 8 p.m. the first and third Thursdays of each month. Participants develop their communication skills and gain an understanding of useful strategies to empower kids to be successful in reaching their own goals. They learn the importance of mutual respect between parent and child and how to conduct productive family meetings.
• Recovery Workshops meet from 5:30 to 7 p.m. the first and third Mondays to teach methods of stress reduction. Egan explains that unaddressed sadness or hurt often results in emotional eating and other addictions. A focus on mind, body and spirit helps participants become aware of unhealthy behavior patterns and motivates them to begin making healthier choices.
• The Women’s Workshop meets from 5:30 to 7 p.m. the second and fourth Mondays. This group encourages and supports personal, career and financial goals as well as building individual self esteem.
“The strength of women helping others has been seen throughout history,” Egan said.
Egan, facilitator of these groups, is a longtime Morgan Hill resident who taught several grade levels in local schools for nearly 30 years. Some of her teaching was in the Home Teaching Program when she worked with children suffering serious illness that kept them from attending class on campus.
After a long-held interest in psychology and seeing the need for psychological support working with families throughout the years, Egan earned a degree in clinical psychology at JFK University. Since her retirement from public schools in 2008, she has turned her attention to helping others in a clinical setting, currently as an intern working for her California Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) license.
She learned about MHUMC’s pastor, the Rev. Patrick Davis, while taking a local meditation class. When she began attending the church about a year ago, she was impressed by his dedication, spiritual grounding and passion to support the community’s needs. Soon they agreed that her internship could offer helpful opportunities to the local community.
Anyone who would like to learn more about these groups is invited to drop by The Annex, call Egan at (408) 607-5779 or email her at [email protected].
