New Day Counseling Center
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CARMON COMMUNITY FUNERAL HOMES AND GRIEF SPECIALIST & FAMILY THERAPISTINTRODUCE "NEW DAY COUNSELING CENTER"
Three Community Support Groups Begin in February
After the death of a family member or friend, the grief can become overwhelming. But many don't know where to turn for bereavement support. That's why Carmon Community Funeral Homes is expanding its follow-up care programs by introducing "New Day Counseling Center." New Day Counseling Center is a partnership between the Carmon family and staff and Debbi Knox, MS, MFT, a Certified Grief Recovery Specialist and Family Therapist. The new center is located at 412 West Avon Road in Avon, Conn., next to Carmon Funeral Home & Family Center, which is at 301 Country Club Road. The New Day Counseling Center can be contacted at (860) 269-0510 or www.NewDayCounselingCenter.com.
"We created this new program with Debbi Knox to meet the bereavement needs of families that our family and staff serve in our nine Greater Hartford locations, and we invite anyone else in Connecticut who is seeking support after the death of a loved one to take advantage of this resource," explains John C. Carmon, CFSP, President of Carmon Community Funeral Homes and a past President of the National Funeral Directors Association and the Connecticut Funeral Directors Association. The family-owned funeral homes have been serving Connecticut for 64 years. "For more than a decade, we have offered support programs for adults, teens and children through Mary's Place, A Center for Grieving Children and Families in Windsor an invaluable resource for hundreds in our region. We welcome Debbi and her experience and empathy as we offer another option for grieving families and individuals."
One of the few family therapists in the Greater Hartford and the Farmington Valley who focuses on grief and loss counseling due to death, illness, and life transitions, Debbi Knox is certified as a Grief Recovery Specialist and holds a Masters degree in Science, Marriage and Family Therapy. Her therapeutic expertise includes training in Internal Family Systems (IFS), Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Sandtray Therapy an innovative, expressive play tool used by children, adolescents, adults, families, couples and groups. Knox also is a volunteer mentor for divorcing families, a volunteer Step-Family support group leader, and is a former Foster Parent.
"New Day Counseling Center is a comfortable place of hope and healing for people who have experienced a loss by offering them support, counseling and therapy," Debbi Knox says. "There are many different types of loss and we can provide extra support and guidance through a challenging time, or help people who are just ready to move in a new direction in their lives."
Knox was drawn to a career in grief and bereavement counseling after personal experiences influenced her. Within a period of two years, both her mother and grandmother were diagnosed with cancer. But while her mother's condition was improving, Knox's grandmother was dying. Some of her family faced this fact, while others did not. "During this difficult period, I learned first-hand the value of communicating about illness and death with those you love. It helped me tremendously in coping with the situation and with the emotions we experienced after my grandmother died. Unfortunately, the members of my family who could not deal with the situation at that time are still struggling somewhat today."
New Day Counseling Center is designed in a warm living room-like setting. There is an area for creative expression for people of all ages, which includes art supplies, games, and music and relaxation CDs. Knox appreciates the fact that, "people have different grieving styles, and while it may be too difficult and painful for some to express in words, they might communicate more easily through the arts."
Knox offers personal and group-setting counseling sessions at reasonable fees. A community lending library is located in the Center, offering books and resources on grief work and bereavement, childhood grief, and inspirational literature for all ages.
Starting in February, ongoing peer bereavement support groups will be offered for individuals and families who have lost loved ones. All groups will be held in the New Day Counseling Center offices 412 West Avon Road in Avon and are free of charge, courtesy of Carmon Community Funeral Homes. All groups require pre-registration by calling Debbi Knox at (860) 269-0510.
There will be three different group times to accommodate people's varying schedules:
Saturday Morning group: 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. (starting Feb. 13);
Tuesday Afternoon group: 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. (starting Feb. 9);
and
Wednesday Evening group:1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.(starting Feb. 3)
The staff and services of New Day Counseling Center and Carmon Community Funeral Homes are available to local businesses and schools whenever they need bereavement support. In many cases, the shock of losing a beloved co-worker, teacher or student can be just as upsetting as when a family member dies, whether or not the loss is expected. Knox, fellow counselors, and Carmon funeral directors are experienced in going into workplaces to provide crisis support or ongoing grief counseling, whenever needed.
In addition, Knox is available to do community education presentations in local retirement communities, senior centers, and houses of worships of all faiths.
"New Day Counseling Center is a wonderful complement to the programs that are available at Mary's Place," says Carmon. "We know that the addition of this important resource will be a valuable asset to the communities we serve. It is our privilege to offer it to our neighbors."
This is only the latest in a series of innovative programs that the Carmon family and staff created to provide support to people coping with death. Decades ago, Carmon Community Funeral Homes developed the region's first bereavement support groups for widows and widowers. Now known as "Begin Again," these sessions offer a safe haven for expressing feelings of anger and frustration, and provide how-to classes on household responsibilities. In the 1990s, the family-owned company created Mary's Place, a Center for Grieving Children and Families in Windsor. Funded by the Carmon Family and by donations from individuals and other foundations, Mary's Place provides a trusting atmosphere for children and teens who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling or another significant person, and offers support groups for young widows and widowers.
Carmon Community Funeral Homes is a 64-year-old family-owned firm that operates nine funeral homes and a crematory in North Central Connecticut: Carmon Funeral Home in Windsor; Carmon Poquonock Funeral Home in Windsor; Carmon Funeral Home & Family Center in Avon; Hayes-Huling & Carmon Funeral Home in Granby; Ladd Homestead in Rockville; Ladd-Turkington & Carmon Funeral Home in Vernon; Nicholson & Carmon Funeral Home in Suffield; Samsel & Carmon Funeral Home in South Windsor; and South Green Memorial Home in Hartford. For more information, visit www.carmonfuneralhomes.com or call (860) 688-2200 or toll-free at 1 (888) 688-8475.
To learn more about Debbi Knox and New Day Counseling Center or to sign up for a support group, please call (860) 269-0510 or visit www.NewDayCounselingCenter.com.
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