North Shore-Boston Chapter

 

National TCF Website

 

         TCF Mission and Credo             

Principles of TCF

 

Chapter Locator

 
 

The Compassionate Friends
North Shore - Boston Chapter

Grief Support after the Death of a Child


This website is dedicated to the memory of all of our children.

 
 

Meetings and Events

 

Chapter meetings are held on the first Monday and third Wednesday of each month at 7:30 PM at:

Aldersgate United Methodist Church
235 Park Street (Route 62)
North Reading, MA


*When the meeting date falls on a holiday, the meeting will be held on an alternate date. Please check the meeting schedule.

*In the event of inclement weather necessitating the closing of North Reading public schools, our chapter meeting will also be canceled.

Our meetings are open to all bereaved parents whose children have died at any age from any cause. You are welcome to attend, no matter how much time has passed since your child has died. Siblings and grandparents are also welcome. If you are uncomfortable attending alone, feel free to bring a friend or relative to support you.

Our meetings usually consist of sharing sessions facilitated by bereaved parents who are further along on their grief journey. We sometimes select a specific topic to start off our group discussion, but our discussions are not limited to that particular topic. We try to meet the needs of everyone who attends the meetings. 

 

We usually begin each meeting by introducing ourselves and our children who have died. We try to give everyone an opportunity to share personal experiences and feelings related to the death of their child, but no one is required to speak. Sometimes it is helpful just to listen.

Our meetings offer a safe place for us to talk about our children and our feelings with others who truly understand. In order to ensure the comfort and trust of our members, we adhere to the following ground rules:

  • Please be respectful of the other members of the group.
  • Please refrain from judging or criticizing others.
  • Please avoid side conversations with others while a member is speaking.
  • Please silence all cell phones during the meetings.
  • Please treat what is shared at the meetings as confidential.

Feel free to come a little early or to stay for a while after the sharing session to browse through our lending library. Refreshments and opportunities to converse with individual members are also available after the meetings. No two meetings are the same. It is best to try to attend a few meetings before deciding whether or not The Compassionate Friends will help.

For more information about TCF meetings from the TCF National Web Site please click here:
Frequently Asked Questions

 

 
 

2023 Meeting and Event Schedule

 

DATE

MEETINGS and EVENTS

Monday, 3/6/23

7:00 PM

Online Video Meeting

Please contact tcfnoshoreconnect@gmail.com if you would like to participate 

Topic:  Sibling Panel Presentation                      

Facilitators:  TBD

Wednesday, 3/15/23

Online Video Meeting - 7:00 PM   

Please contact tcfnoshoreconnect@gmail.com if you would like to participate

Topic: Open Sharing Session                        

Facilitators: TBD

-and-

Sibling Group Online Video Meeting - 7:30 PM

Please contact Aimeeb15@gmail.com if you would like to participate

Topic:  Navigating Other Relationships Our Siblings Had

Wednesday, 3/22/23

7:00 PM

In-Person Meeting  (meeting will be limited to 15 participants)

Please contact tcfnoshoreconnect@gmail.com if you would like to attend 

Topic:  Open Sharing Session                      

Facilitators:  TBD

Monday, 4/3/23

7:00 PM

Online Video Meeting 

Please contact tcfnoshoreconnect@gmail.com if you would like to participate 

Topic:  Open Sharing Session                        

Facilitators:  TBD

Wednesday, 4/19/23

Online Video Meeting - 7:00 PM 

Please contact tcfnoshoreconnect@gmail.com if you would like to participate

Topic: The Effect of Grief on Relationships                          

Facilitators:  TBD

-and-

Sibling Group Online Video Meeting - 7:30 PM

Please contact Aimeeb15@gmail.com if you would like to participate

Topic:  Dealing With the "What If's?"

Wednesday, 4/26/23

7:00 PM

In-Person Meeting  (meeting will be limited to 15 participants)

Please contact tcfnoshoreconnect@gmail.com if you would like to attend

Topic:  Circumstances of Our Loss (Panel Presentation)                      

Facilitators:  TBD

Monday, 5/1/23

7:00 PM

Online Video Meeting

Please contact tcfnoshoreconnect@gmail.com if you would like to participate 

Topic:  Open Sharing Session                        

Facilitators:  TBD

Sunday, 5/7/23

1:30 PM

SPRING EVENT 

Wednesday, 5/17/23

Online Video Meeting - 7:00 PM  

Please contact tcfnoshoreconnect@gmail.com if you would like to participate

Topic: Open Sharing Session                         

Facilitators:  TBD

-and-

Sibling Group Online Video Meeting - 7:30 PM

Please contact Aimeeb15@gmail.com if you would like to participate

Topic:  Open Sharing Session

Wednesday, 5/24/23

7:00 PM

In-Person Meeting  (meeting will be limited to 15 participants)   

Please contact tcfnoshoreconnect@gmail.com if you would like to attend

Topic:  Men / Women (split groups)                      

Facilitators:  TBD

Monday, 6/5/23

7:00 PM

Online Video Meeting

Please contact tcfnoshoreconnect@gmail.com if you would like to participate 

Topic:  Who Are You Now? / Struggling With Identity                         

Facilitators:  TBD

Wednesday, 6/21/23

Online Video Meeting - 7:00 PM 

Please contact tcfnoshoreconnect@gmail.com if you would like to participate

Topic:  Open Sharing Session                         

Facilitators:  TBD

-and-

Sibling Group Online Video Meeting - 7:30 PM 

Please contact Aimeeb15@gmail.com if you would like to participate

Topic:  Secondary Losses

Wednesday, 6/28 /23

7:00 PM

In-Person Meeting  (meeting will be limited to 15 participants)   

Please contact tcfnoshoreconnect@gmail.com if you would like to attend 

Topic:  Open Sharing Session                    

Facilitators:  TBD 

Monday, 7/3/23

7:00 PM

Online Video Meeting 

Please contact tcfnoshoreconnect@gmail.com if you would like to participate 

Topic:  Open Sharing Session                        

Facilitators:  TBD

Wednesday, 7/19/23

Online Video Meeting - 7:00 PM 

Please contact tcfnoshoreconnect@gmail.com if you would like to participate

Topic: Open Sharing Session                         

Facilitators:  TBD

-and-

Sibling Group Online Video Meeting - 7:30 PM 

Please contact Aimeeb15@gmail.com if you would like to participate

Topic:  Does the Way Our Siblings Died Affect Our Grief?

Wednesday, 7/26/23

7:00 PM

In-Person Meeting  (meeting will be limited to 15 participants)  

Please contact tcfnoshoreconnect@gmail.com if you would like to attend

Topic:  Ask It Basket                      

Facilitators:  TBD

Monday, 8/7/22

7:00 PM

Online Video Meeting

Please contact tcfnoshoreconnect@gmail.com if you would like to participate 

Topic:  Open Sharing Session                        

Facilitators:  TBD

Wednesday, 8/16/23

Online Video Meeting - 7:00 PM    

Please contact tcfnoshoreconnect@gmail.com if you would like to participate

Topic:  Open Sharing Session                        

Facilitators:  TBD

-and-

Sibling Group Online Video Meeting - 7:30 PM

Please contact Aimeeb15@gmail.com if you would like to participate

Topic:  Feeling Overlooked / Forgotten in Your Grief

Wednesday, 8/23/23

7:00 PM

In-Person Meeting  (meeting will be limited to 15 participants)   

Please contact tcfnoshoreconnect@gmail.com if you would like to attend

Topic:  Sibling Panel Presentation                    

Facilitators:  TBD 

Tuesday, 9/5/23

7:00 PM

Online Video Meeting

Please contact tcfnoshoreconnect@gmail.com if you would like to participate 

Topic:  Open Sharing Session                        

Facilitators:  TBD

Sunday, 9/10/23

9:00 AM - 12:00 PM

WALK TO REMEMBER

Wednesday, 9/20/23

Online Video Meeting - 7:00 PM 

Please contact tcfnoshoreconnect@gmail.com if you would like to participate

Topic: How Grief is Affected by Seasonal Changes                          

Facilitators:  TBD

-and-

Sibling Group Online Video Meeting - 7:30 PM 

Please contact Aimeeb15@gmail.com if you would like to participate

Topic:  Dealing With Other Family Members' Grief

Wednesday, 9/27/23

7:00 PM

In-Person Meeting  (meeting will be limited to 15 participants) 

Please contact tcfnoshoreconnect@gmail.com if you would like to attend

Topic:  Open Sharing Session                     

Facilitators:  TBD

Monday, 10/2/23

7:00 PM

Online Video Meeting  

Please contact tcfnoshoreconnect@gmail.com if you would like to participate 

Topic:  When People Ask, "How are you?" or "How many children do you have?"                        

Facilitators:  TBD

Wednesday, 10/18/23

Online Video Meeting - 7:00 PM  

Please contact tcfnoshoreconnect@gmail.com if you would like to participate

Topic:  Open Sharing Session                         

Facilitators:  TBD

-and-

Sibling Group Online Video Meeting - 7:30 PM  

Please contact Aimeeb15@gmail.com if you would like to participate

Topic:  Favorite Things About Your Sibling

Wednesday, 10/25/23

7:00 PM

 

In-Person Meeting  (meeting will be limited to 15 participants)   

Please contact tcfnoshoreconnect@gmail.com if you would like to attend

Topic:  Staying Connected to Our Children                      

Facilitators:  TBD 

Monday, 11/6/23

7:00 PM

Online Video Meeting

Please contact tcfnoshoreconnect@gmail.com if you would like to participate 

Topic:  Family Vacations and Holiday Gatherings                         

Facilitators:  TBD

Wednesday, 11/15/23

Online Video Meeting - 7:00 PM

Please contact tcfnoshoreconnect@gmail.com if you would like to participate

Topic:  Open Sharing Session

Facilitators:  TBD

-and-

Sibling Group Online Video Meeting - 7:30 PM

Please contact Aimeeb15@gmail.com if you would like to participate

Topic: Remaking Holiday Traditions                         

Wednesday, 11/29/23

7:00 PM

In-Person Meeting  (meeting will be limited to 15 participants)  

Please contact tcfnoshoreconnect@gmail.com if you would like to attend 

Topic:  Open Sharing Session                      

Facilitators:  TBD

Monday, 12/4/23

7:00 PM

Online Video Meeting

Please contact tcfnoshoreconnect@gmail.com if you would like to participate 

Topic:  Open Sharing Session                        

Facilitators:  TBD

TBD

CANDLELIGHT REMEMBRANCE SERVICE

Wednesday, 12/20/23

Online Video Meeting - 7:00 PM  

Please contact tcfnoshoreconnect@gmail.com if you would like to participate

Topic:  Open Sharing Session

Facilitators:  TBD

-and-

Sibling Group Online Video Meeting 7:30 PM  

Please contact Aimeeb15@gmail.com if you would like to participate 

Topic:  Self Care After a Loss                       

Wednesday, 12/27/23

7:00 PM

In-Person Meeting  (meeting will be limited to 15 participants)

Please contact tcfnoshoreconnect@gmail.com if you would like to attend 

Topic:  Journaling to Cope With Grief                    

Facilitators:  TBD