LGW Lenten Online Support Group Information
Schedule: We’ll meet weekly March 6 through April 16 from 8:15 to 10:00 p.m. EST each session. Totaling over 12 hours of support! Please see the schedule below for exact dates and time.
Content: Each support group session will include prayer and a presentation by dynamic Catholic leaders who are either adult children of divorce or separation themselves, or experts in a relevant field. After the presentations, there will be either guided small group break-outs or large-group Q&A with the speaker. Small groups give participants a chance to process together what they just heard, share how they are progressing on personal healing, and share experiences with a supportive, compassionate group of peers and trained support group leaders. In between sessions, participants will be given guided journaling prompts to continue their reflection and prayer.
Topics and Speakers: See below!
Online community: Participants will have access to our exclusive, private online community where they can interact between sessions, such as talking with other attendees, participating in topical discussions, and asking questions of the speakers. After the support group ends, participants will have FREE access to our larger moderated, online community for alumni, for ongoing support and encouragement. (This is a yearly value of $350 - included for free to support group participants!)
Access to recorded videos: The live support group presentations will be recorded and participants will have private access to them for three months. (Small group sessions are not recorded.)
Cost: Early bird prices (through February 12, 2025): $169 for ages 26+ and $109 for participants ages 18-25; Prices after February 12, 2025: $199 for ages 26+ and $139 for participants ages 18-25.
Scholarships are available for those who financially need them! You can request one using this online form.
Due to our unique, personal small group structure of our support groups, there are limited spots available, so register now!
Topics, Dates, and Presenters
First Session: How the Book Love and Responsibility Helped Me Heal: “Love endures all things; love never fails” (1 Corinthians 13:7-8)
What do we make of the love that has failed in our parents’ marriage? What makes love, love? And why does it matter to the healing journey? In this session, we will hear how the Church’s teachings on love and marriage can bring healing to adult children of divorce.
Thursday, March 6, 2025, 8:15-10:00 PM EST
Speaker: Dr. Greg Bottaro
Dr. Greg Bottaro is a Catholic psychologist, founder of the CatholicPsych Institute and creator of the CatholicPsych Model of Applied Personalism (CPMAP). Before he was married, he was a Franciscan Friar for 4 years under the mentorship of Fr. Benedict Groeschel. He's now married with 7 kids under 11.
Followed by small-group breakout session.
Second Session: The Art of Prayer: An Experiential Immersion into How to Pray: “With all prayer and supplication, pray at every opportunity in the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:18)
Learn the art of transformative prayer, which transcends boundaries and circumstances. This will empower you to intercede for others with confidence and effectiveness, no matter the situation. This talk will conclude with a prayer exercise, and small group time will include a practice of praying for each other.
Thursday, March 13, 2025, 8:15-10:00 PM EST
Speaker: Melissa Foley
Melissa Foley is the Executive Director of Resurrected Life, an esteemed apostolate dedicated to unleashing the transformative power of God's love through healing prayer. She ardently pursues her mission as an international speaker, retreat leader, and inner healing facilitator. With an unwavering commitment spanning over two decades, Melissa tirelessly accompanies women, men, and teens in the process of restoring their true identity in Christ and the Church.
Having been raised in the Evangelical Protestant tradition, Melissa experienced an instantaneous conversion when she entered a Catholic Church at a young age. She has undergone comprehensive training in six distinct methods of healing prayer and recently achieved a certification in Exorcism and Liberation Prayer from Regina Apostolorum in Rome, marking a significant milestone in her professional journey.
Melissa's influence extends to various media platforms, including appearances on EWTN television and radio alongside esteemed individuals such as Chrystalina Evert, Bear Woznick, Johnnette Benkovic, and The Family Room. She also serves as a regular host and speaker for the Women's and Healing Virtual Catholic Conferences.
Residing in Atlanta with her husband and three children, Melissa's active mission of leading individuals to a profound awareness and experience of being loved is fervently supported by her family.
Followed by small-group breakout session.
Third Session: States of Life Webinar Week: "As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God’s varied grace” (1 Peter 4:10)
The third week of the support group will be divided into three groups: participants who are single or dating; novices, seminarians, consecrated, or priests; engaged or married couples. Your state in life will determine which of the sessions you attend. They will be in a webinar format (large-group Q&A, but no small group breakouts).
OPTION ONE: Consecrated life/priesthood/seminary—Difficulties to Living in Community for Adult Children of Divorce
Wednesday, March 19, 2025, 8:15-10:00 PM EST
Speaker: Fr. John Baptist Hoang, O.P.
Fr. John Baptist Hoang, O.P., is a Dominican priest of the Province of Saint Joseph and an adult child of divorce. Fr. John Baptist currently serves as the Chaplain and Director of Catholic Campus Ministry at the University of Louisville. He grew up in the Diocese of Arlington and attended the University of Virginia with a degree in Religious Studies and Sociology. He entered the Order of Preachers right after college and was ordained a priest on May 21, 2016. Following his ordination, he was assigned to New York City. Fr. John Baptist has also been a speaker and a small group leader at Life-Giving Wounds events.
Followed by large-group Q & A.
OPTION TWO: Engagement/Marriage—Five Signs Your Marriage is Drifting and What to Do about It
Thursday, March 20, 2025, 8:15-10:00 PM EST
Speaker: LeeAnne Abel
LeeAnne Abel is a coach, author, and speaker. She is Founder and CEO of Rightly Ordered where she focuses on marriage coaching as well as working with adult children of divorce to identify and heal issues related to parental divorce. Her main website is RightlyOrdered.org.
She contributed to the book Primal Loss: The Now-Adult Children of Divorce Speak and is the admin for many secret Facebook groups for Adult Children of Divorce. She is a wife, mom, and now Mimi to her grandkids. She has been a featured speaker for parishes and nonprofits as well as a guest on many podcasts and has written for Catholic Answers.
She is an enthusiastic Catholic, lives in Arizona and Germany, and speaks fluent German. She and her husband are parents to six adults and owners of a Belgian Tervuren dog, well-trained, but intense and feisty. She can be reached at LeeAnne@RightlyOrdered.org.
Followed by large-group Q & A.
OPTION THREE: Single/dating—Has God Abandoned Me?: Holding the Tension between Living for Today and Hoping for the Future
Monday, March 25, 2025, 8:15-10:00 PM EST
Speaker: Hannah Dragonas
Hannah Dragonas was born and raised in the town of Beverly, Massachusetts on the Northshore of Boston and is an adult child of divorce. She graduated from the University of Vermont in 2017 with a degree in Psychology. Although baptized Hannah was not raised in the Catholic faith. During her Freshman year of college, she encountered the undeniable love of Jesus and entered fully into the Church during her sophomore year. Since then, she has loved serving Him and has worked as a FOCUS missionary for over seven years spending two years at George Mason University in Virginia, three years at the University of Maryland, and most recently moving to Denver to serve as a Regional Director with FOCUS. Outside of ministry, Hannah loves all things skiing, sailing, and Trader Joe’s! She is very excited and honored to share the healing she has received from the LGW retreats with others!
Followed by large-group Q & A.
Fourth Session: “Within your wounds hide me” — A Personal Testimony and Reflection on the Anima Christi Prayer
Reflect with us on this key line from the Anima Christi prayer—"within your wounds hide me.” We will explore the significance of this prayer for our healing and discuss how to grieve big losses from our family.
Thursday, March 27, 2025, 8:15-10:00 PM EST
Speaker: Fr. Doug Grandon
Fr. Doug is a FOCUS National Chaplain and a priest of the Archdiocese of Denver. He became Catholic in 2003, after serving as a Protestant missionary and pastor for 25 years. In 2008, Pope Benedict granted Fr. Doug permission to be ordained a married Catholic priest. He holds a PhD in Historical Theology.
Followed by small-group breakout session.
Fifth Session: Integrating Unwanted Thoughts and Difficult Memories into the Fullness of Life: “Take every thought captive in obedience to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5)
In this talk we will discuss how unwanted thoughts and difficult memories can keep us from living a full and healthy life and discover practical tips for healing memories and integrating these thoughts into a healthy whole.
Thursday, April 3, 2025, 8:15-10:00 PM EST
Speaker: TBD
Followed by small-group breakout session.
Sixth Session: The Body Keeps the Score and Unlocks the Answer: Physical and Health Effects of Family Trauma and How to Heal - Panel Discussion: “Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16)
In this panel discussion, learn how trauma is carried in the body—and how to release it and receive healing.
Thursday, April 10, 2025, 8:15-10:00 PM EST
Speakers: Margaret Vasquez and Dr. Maria Wolfs
Margaret Vasquez holds a bachelor’s degree in theology and a master’s degree in counseling, both from Franciscan University of Steubenville. She is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor with supervisory designation, holds numerous trauma certifications, is certified in Myers Briggs, and is founder and director of Sacred Heart Healing Ministries. For the past 18 years she has treated clients of all ages from around the world. She has appeared on numerous episodes of Women of Grace on EWTN, as well as many radio shows and podcasts. She is the author of More than Words: The Freedom to Thrive After Trauma and Fearless: Abundant Life Through Infinite Love. She hosts “Wholeness & Holiness: From Virtual to Virtuous Reality,” a weekly podcast on human and spiritual integration. She provides healing missions, retreats, one-week individual healing programs and intensive trauma therapy. Her passion is for all people to come to know the surpassing love of God.
Seventh Session: Q&A with Online Support Group Speakers
In this special session, we’ll have a live Q&A session with some of our speakers about their talks. This is a chance to ask them any questions you have about the topics discussed in the support group.
Wednesday, April 16, 2025, 8:15-10:00 PM EST
Speakers: Presenters from Previous Weeks
Frequently Asked Questions:
Who should attend this support group?
The Life-Giving Wounds support group is for any adult (18+) whose parents are divorced or separated. This includes people whose parents divorced, separated, received a declaration of nullity (annulment), dissolved a cohabitation, or were never married and are no longer together. While these situations have important differences, the retreat content speaks to the common wound of losing the love of your parents together. The two situations not addressed by the retreat are the loss of a parent through death or being placed for adoption.
How is this support group different from the Life-Giving Wounds retreat?
Past participants of the Life-Giving Wounds retreat will notice that some of the topics in the support group are similar to those discussed on the retreat. But the support group presentations will go deeper into the topic, address new themes, offer more advice, and give new perspectives from new presenters. For first-time attendees, it is okay if you haven’t attended the retreat - you will still be able to get a lot out of the content and experience! Finally, the support group does not include any printed materials like the retreat does.
Is the support group professional therapy?
No, Life-Giving Wounds support groups should not be confused with a traditional, psychological support group led by a licensed counselor or psychologist. Life-Giving Wounds ministry is not psychological counseling. Instead, we provide trained, peer-based leaders who offer spiritual and practical guidance, advice, support, and community, grounded in virtue. Our ministry complements professional therapy groups, and we encourage professional therapy whenever it is beneficial to do so. Life-Giving Wounds is proud to work closely with many psychologists and counselors who both advise us in our ministry and from time-to-time help out in other various capacities, such as offering presentations. For a resource about seeking therapy, please see our blog article “Seeking Therapy as an Adult Child of Divorce”.
Will the support group sessions be recorded?
Yes. Due to high demand, the presentations will be video recorded and made available to registered attendees for two weeks after the session through a secure portal. Only the presentations are recorded, not the small group sessions.
Can I receive a refund after I register?
You may request a refund on your registration up until 7 days before the start of the support group. Within 7 days of the support group, there will be no refund issued, unless there is a wait list and someone able to take your spot.
Want even more information?
Please see our “about support groups” page.