neutral ground support organization inc.
PO Box 503, Victor, NY 14564
Tel.: (585) 924-8690
Email: neutralground1@gmail.com
Our Email Address
Please note that the Neutral Ground email address has changed. If you sent
an email in December and didn't get a response, please contact us again
at the new address shown above!
Neutral Ground is a non-profit, non-sectarian, peer support organization for people in pain over the loss of a marriage or significant relationship. Neutral Ground is a safe place for men and women of all ages to share their feelings and talk with other people who are going through the same difficult experience. Whether your grief comes as the result of separation, death or divorce, you don't have to be alone. There are untold others who share your feelings. Our trained volunteer facilitators lead open and closed discussion groups in the hopes that helping others to share their experience will benefit all of us. There are no paid professionals at Neutral Ground. Our facilitators and members speak from experience and from the heart. We know and share the pain. We understand the confusion and uncertainty. We have been through it and are surviving and growing. We have found a way to start over.
We would like to take a moment to welcome you to Neutral Ground. This introduction hopefully will serve as a guide for your journey through Neutral Ground, and your recovery from the loss of a significant relationship.
Orientation
Your first attendance at Neutral Ground will usually be at Orientation, where you will learn more about what Neutral Ground is, and what we do. Orientation is one evening only, a meeting that will usually last for about two hours. In Orientation you will learn that Neutral Ground is broken up into two types of groups called "Open Groups" and "Closed Groups." You will also learn about membership in Neutral Ground, how to register for different groups, how to become a facilitator or committee member, etc.
Open Groups
Open Groups are those groups that do not require a registration to attend, and are open for attendance on any Thursday night, from 7:30PM to 9:30PM. There is a $3.00 donation requested per attendance, to help cover the costs of room rental, etc.
Closed Groups are First Group, and Topic Groups. Registration is limited and required, and a fee of $25.00 is set for all groups. Closed groups meet one night per week for 9 weeks.
Neutral Ground offers the following Open Groups: "Starting Over" a beginners group, "Advanced Open Group", for members who have completed First Group, and the "Widow/Widowers Group."
The "Starting Over Group" is recommended for those people newly out of a relationship, and is restricted to people who have been members of Neutral Ground for less than one year. This group discusses issues that are related to significant loss, and adjusting to being single again. Topics normally discussed are pain, anger, depression, anxiety, grief, etc. Attendance at this group is recommended while you are waiting to get into a "First Group," which will be explained later.
The Advanced Open Group is open to all members, but is recommended for those people who have been out of their relationships for awhile, and are mostly "recovered" from their loss. Topics for discussion are open, but usually include dating, new relationships, blended families, sex, finances, living alone, health, etc. Often included are some issues that still pertain to loss. Workshops are being put together for presentation to this group. Attendance at the "Advanced Open Group" is recommended for those people who have completed "First Group," or are new to Neutral Ground but have long been out of their relationship, and are waiting to get into a "First Group."
Widow / Widowers Group
The Widow/Widowers Group is open to all people who have suffered their loss through the death of a spouse or significant other. This group may be attended directly after Orientation so that you may be with others who have suffered the same type of loss. You may also attend the Starting Over Group, however, in this group you would be with people who are ending their relationship through divorce or separation. Members of the Widow/Widowers Group are the only members for which First Group is not required. However, you may find it beneficial to attend a First Group at some point, so as to move into the mainstream of Neutral Ground.
Closed Groups
First Group, is what the name implies, and is a required closed group for all members. All people joining Neutral Ground for the first time are required to attend "First Group" within six months. "First Group," like all closed groups, meets one night per week for 9 weeks. Membership is limited and registration is required. This group is a close knit, small group and is a commitment for full-time attendance. Members of a closed group do not change on a weekly basis like open groups. Topics discussed will mostly pertain to the trauma of losing a significant relationship. First Groups deal with painful, personal issues and grief, and it is here that significant healing begins. There is a lot of “bonding” in “First Group,” and it is here that you will meet and make lifetime friends.
Topic Groups are closed groups that are offered to members after the "First Group" requirement has been met. Topic groups are recommended for those members who are interested in learning more about the specific topic offered. The topics offered vary from session to session, and have included: How to Meet and Attract Anyone, Anytime, Anyplace; Be Your Own Dating Service; Fun Group; Coping With Blended Families; Life Strategies, and many more.
Summing UP
A typical journey through Neutral Ground would look like this: First night Orientation. From there you may attend the "Starting Over" group until registration for a new "First Group". For the next 9 weeks you would attend your regular "First Group" meetings. After that ends, you could attend the "Advanced Open Group" until registration for the next closed Topic groups. If no topics interest you at the time, you could still attend the "Advanced Open Group" until the next round of topic groups. The important thing is that you will have a place to meet new people and make new friends. You will have a place to call home on Thursday nights, learn about new things, have interesting discussions, socialize and be with friends like you, who have discovered that there is still life after divorce or other significant loss. You will also discover that Neutral Ground is full of things to do on other nights, as our social calendar is full of events and gatherings for singles.
"The longest journey is the journey inward ". You have taken the first step. May your journey with Neutral Ground be a successful one .
Neutral Ground will continue to be there for you as you grow. Our special programs include presentations with guest speakers like Dennis Boike, Dolly Hinkley and others. Our Social Committee brings members together in a variety of fun activities. Our sharing dinners, wine and cheese parties and local drop-ins are a big hit, as are the monthly dances and many picnics throughout the year. For the more adventurous, there is whitewater rafting, hiking and biking, and road trips to Niagara Falls and the Casino. You will have the opportunity to continue making new friends and have numerous activities to choose from. As you grow and feel more comfortable attempting new experiences, Neutral Ground will be there with support groups and social activities to keep you on track, headed in the right direction. There are also many volunteer opportunities for those who want to give something back to Neutral Ground for the positive changes in their lives.
Neutral Ground is a non-profit peer support organization which has existed for over a quarter century, helping thousands of people to start over. Neutral Ground is not allied with or supported by any church or religious organization. Our modest dues and fees are to cover costs only, and are outlined in detail in another section of this website. Dues and fees may be waived, upon application, in circumstances of particular financial difficulty.
Please visit the rest of our website for schedules, updates, newsletter, membership info, etc.
