RTZ HOPE Support Group FAQs

How soon after my loss should I sign up for a group?

While you can sign up for a support group any time following your loss, it may be best to give yourself a few weeks to move through the initial shock. During this time it is important to take care of yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally. After the initial period of shock, a RTZ HOPE support group will be there to support you and to connect you to a community of other bereaved parents.

What different types of support groups are offered? 
*Whether the group is for birthing parents only, birthing parents and non-birthing parents, or for couples only will be noted in the group title. 

• Pregnancy and Infant Loss encompasses all forms of loss that might be experienced on the path to parenthood including infertility, miscarriage, stillbirth, terminations for medical reasons, or infant death, whether more recently or in the past.

• Pérdida de embarazo o de bebé - en español: Personas hispanohablantes que han sufrido pérdidas por infertilidad, abortos espontáneos, mortinatos, interrupciones del embarazo por razones médicas o muerte de un bebé durante o después del embarazo, ya sea recientemente o en el pasado. Este grupo es solamente para la persona gestacional, osea la persona que estuvo embarazada.

• Recurrent Loss and Infertility encompasses multiple losses and reproductive challenges including infertility and secondary infertility that might be experienced on the path to parenthood.

• Ending a Wanted Pregnancy, is inclusive of an termination whether it be a terminations for medical reasons (TFMR) or otherwise. It encompasses all forms of loss that might be experienced when a pregnancy is terminated which may include life-limiting or life-threatening fetal diagnosis or due to health risks of the birthing parent. 

• BIPOC (black, indigenous, and other people of color) Pregnancy and Infant Loss encompasses all forms of loss that might be experienced on the path to parenthood including: infertility, miscarriage, stillbirth, terminations for medical reasons, or infant death, whether more recently or in the past. To hear directly from those who have participated please watch: A Conversation with BIPOC Support Group Participants.

• LGBTQ+ Affirming Space for Pregnancy and Infant Loss encompasses all forms of loss that might be experienced on the path to parenthood including: infertility, miscarriage, stillbirth, terminations for medical reasons, or infant death, whether more recently or in the past.

• Early Pregnancy Loss encompasses all forms of loss that might be experienced during the first trimester (0-12 weeks) of pregnancy including: miscarriage, missed miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, blighted ovum, & molar pregnancy, whether more recently or in the past.

• Pregnancy After Loss is for birthing parents who have experienced a prior loss and are currently navigating a pregnancy.

• Parenting After Loss is for individuals who are experiencing the unique journey of parenting after loss. Open to those who are parenting living children that were born before loss, after loss, or both.  

• Childless Not By Choice is for people in the present situation of childlessness to find eventual acceptance and purpose outside of reproduction and family building. This space is designed to help people begin to reimagine and reclaim a life different from what they had previously imagined while also acknowledging the secondary losses, social impacts, and emotional complexities of involuntary childlessness. 
  

What is the difference between “birthing parents”, “non-birthing parents” and a group for “couples”?

• Groups that are for birthing parents are specifically for those individuals who are trying to conceive or carried the pregnancy, including cisgender women, transgender men, and nonbinary individuals.

• Groups that are for non-birthing parents include non-gestational carriers and are specifically for those individuals who experienced loss and did physically carry the pregnancy or give birth.

• Groups that are for couples are for both birthing parent and their partner/s.

What types of pregnancy and infant losses are supported in your groups?
We honor the diversity of humanity and all forms of loss experienced during the journey to parenthood including, but not limited to:

How long is a support group program?
Each support group is 6-weeks in length. Often the weeks are consecutive. When there is a missed week due to scheduling conflicts with holidays and other special circumstances, it will be noted in the registration description. 

Are drop-ins allowed to participate in the 6-week support groups?
No. Our support groups are closed support groups, meaning only the participants who have signed up for the 6-week program are admitted into the weekly sessions. We do offer Drop-In Support sessions, separately from our 6-week support groups.

How many other participants will there be in the group? 
We limit participation to 10-12 people, not including facilitators, to ensure an intimate environment where meaningful sharing can occur.  

What can I expect during a virtual support group?

• Virtual support groups are 90-minutes in length, with the exception of the session, Share Your Story, where we ask 2 hours be set aside. 

• Our groups are topic focused and structured in a way that builds on content from the previous week. 

• Every session has a similar flow. Each group starts with a guided meditation or body-centered mindfulness practice. 

• The topic of the week is introduced, which includes some education. 

• Then there will be group sharing in response to a topic-related question and facilitated discussion. 

• Groups end with a period of reflective sharing. Where relevant, the group may be led in writing, creative expression, or embodiment exercises to support resource building and integration.

• Please review Community Agreements to learn more about the space created during our groups.

What topics are typically covered?

How will these support groups help me? 

• These types of losses are very isolating—you will learn that you are not alone. 

• Our hope is that you will find community with others who have similar loss experiences.

• By sharing your story, your loss experience is witnessed by others in a supportive and non-judgemental setting. 

• You never imagined you’d be in this situation. You will receive guidance and resources for your grieving journey. 

Who facilitates these virtual support groups? 
RTZ HOPE support groups are led by experienced facilitators in a confidential, caring virtual environment. All of our facilitators have experienced a variety of losses, and each has received direct support through RTZ HOPE at some point in their healing journey. Click here to meet our facilitators. 

How do I register for a support group? 
To see which virtual support groups are currently available please click here. If you do not see a session listed that you are interested in, sign up on “Join Our List” (at the bottom of this page), to receive our upcoming support offerings newsletter or check back as we update our upcoming offerings every few weeks.

What is the cost of the program? 
Given the unique nature of our virtual support groups, we have a base registration fee of $150 for our 6-week programs and $125 for our 4-week programs. For couples-specific groups, the base registration fee is $250.

Equitable Access Codes:
We are committed to making our services more equitable and accessible. These codes are for BIPOC, queer/trans individuals, people living with disabilities, and other marginalized populations who have experienced limited access to support resources due to systemic racism and historical disinvestment.   For equitable access use the code EQUITYCODE to receive a 50% discount at registration for any program currently listed on our website.

What is the refund/cancellation policy? 
We are able to issue a full-refund 72-hours prior to the start date of your group. After 72-hours, there is the option to transfer your registration funds to another support offering within a calendar year or to pay your funds forward to support those needing financial assistance.

Are there prerequisites for registration?

• As a prerequisite to participation in the Share Your Story module, we ask you to please write a one-page overview of your loss experience. Coming prepared with your written account supports the overall group sharing experience. 

• In order to register for Continued Support, it is required that you have completed a 6-week support group prior. 

• It is highly recommended, but not required, to have completed a RTZ HOPE Pregnancy and Infant Loss Support Group, including Recurrent Loss and Ending a Wanted Pregnancy, prior to participation in either the Pregnancy After Loss or Parenting After Loss virtual support groups.

Do I have to share at each session? 
The group allows time for each participant to take time to share openly and reflect on the topic of that session. Participation is always optional. We do ask that you come with an open heart to actively listen to others and contribute when comfortable, so that you also benefit.

What is continued support?
Following certain 6-week virtual support groups, individuals may have the opportunity to join for an additional 4-weeks of Continued Support. Your facilitator will let you know if this is an option for your group. Typically it follows our Pregnancy and Infant Loss Support Group and our Ending a Wanted Pregnancy Support Group.

I am going to be out of town, is it okay to miss a session?
We understand life happens, and that not everyone can attend each session. With consent of the entire group, recordings may be available for the session/s you miss. 

How often are the various support groups offered? 
We offer 6-8 support groups every quarter. We do our best to stagger our group offerings to ensure at least two support groups are open for registration at any time. 

Is there a limit to the number of virtual support groups I can participate in? 
Depending on your story and loss experience(s), you may benefit from joining multiple groups at different times. If you need help discerning which group would be most beneficial for you and your specific journey, please reach out to us at connect@rtzhope.org.

Is a virtual support group a replacement to working with a healthcare professional? 
While participating in a virtual support group is not a replacement to working with an individual provider, both can be beneficial. We understand how important it is to find the right fit when it comes to support, which is why we've created the Pregnancy and Infant Loss Directory.

Are there any in-person support sessions? 
At this time our only in-person support our our retreats. You can find out more information about our retreats here. 

After I complete the virtual support groups, how else can Return To Zero: HOPE support me?  
It is normal for perspectives to change as you move with your grief and begin to integrate your loss experience. Below are some ways to find continued support and community.

• Join the Navigating Life After Pregnancy and Loss Facebook group

• Participate in an upcoming Workshop

• Read through our library of resources, read our Stories of Hope blog, or watch our Conversations of Hope

• Watch RTZ HOPE webinars

• Attend another virtual support group; you may receive new insights at a different point in your loss journey, or maybe there is another group that may fulfill your needs

• Attend one of our in-person retreats

• In the month of October consider signing up to become an RTZ Hopetober Luminary.

What if I still have additional questions? 
Please direct any additional questions about our virtual support groups to connect@rtzhope.org.

To receive updates on support groups, workshops and webinars please fill out the “Join Our List” form below.