Group Therapy at MESA

In addition to the 24 hour hotline, Spanish hotline, and individual counseling, MESA's client services program also strives to offer much needed support groups to the community.  Recently, MESA increased its collaborative efforts with local domestic violence agencies in Boulder and Longmont to begin providing educational groups on healthy and safe relationships.  Members of these groups often include women who have experienced sexual assault within an intimate partner relationship.  Other members might be mothers who are interested in educating their children on sexual abuse. 

Group members discuss the importance of recognizing their own boundaries so that they can identify instances when these boundaries may have been crossed.  Additional topics also include building trust, healthy sexuality, and mirroring positive relationships for their children.  Group members also learn to understand that being a survivor of violence is never an indicator that they are to blame.  These groups aim at creating a safe environment to talk about relationships and the issues that are often faced when violence is involved.  Additionally, MESA hopes that these women will be able to share the information learned with friends, children, and other relatives. 

As with all MESA programs, there is the belief that one person can affect many others by sharing experiences and speaking up about violence so that it does not remain a secret.  Support groups like these offer an opportunity to receive acknowledgement that none of us is alone as we all strive to create safer communities, families, and relationships.