Get Support
If you have any questions or run into any issues accessing the system, please email us at [email protected].
RNE Peer Support Groups are…
…free, virtual, and open to anyone who is struggling to build their family.
…confidential spaces for open discussion with others who understand fertility and family building challenges.
…for those who are newly diagnosed, have been in the trenches for years or anywhere in between.
…led by trained volunteers, not mental health professionals.
RNE groups are peer-led and are not meant to be a replacement for professional mental health support.
If you are interested in connecting with a mental health professional who has experience with fertility and family building challenges, please visit our Directory.
Here are resources if you are in need of immediate crisis support.
RNE Peer Groups
(in alphabetical order)
Not sure what group(s) would be the best fit for you at this point in your family building journey?
Get in touch at [email protected]!
Please note, we do not allow group observation by students or professionals. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.
Adoption Group
This group is open to anyone considering adoption or in the process of building their family through adoption.
Co-led by a parent who grew her family through domestic infant adoption and a parent who is a foster parent who is currently fostering-to-adopt, this group offers an open discussion of the issues, decisions, and emotions surrounding this family building option and connect with others on similar paths.
This group typically meets on the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 7p EST.
Cancer and Fertility Group
This group is open to anyone impacted by cancer and fertility, whether you are newly diagnosed with cancer, learning about your fertility preservation options (or lack thereof), or for those struggling with infertility after cancer.
This group meets on the 4th Thursday of each month at 7:30p EST.
*Schedule Change: The September session of the Cancer & Fertility Group will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 3rd at 7:30p EST.
Childless After Fertility and Family Building Challenges Group
This group is open to anyone contemplating the decision to stop fertility treatment and who are not necessarily considering family building through adoption, donor and/or surrogacy. This group will be led by a childless after fertility and family building challenges peer facilitator.
This group typically meets every other month on the 3rd Monday at 7p EST (2023: Feb/Apr/Jun/Aug/Oct/Dec).
Donor Conception Group
RNE’s Donor Conception Peer Group is for people who are looking for an open discussion of the issues, decisions, and emotions surrounding this family building option.
The first session of the month is geared towards those who are considering donor egg, donor sperm, or donor embryo as a way to build their family and those who have begun the donor conception process, but are not yet pregnant/parenting.
The second session of the month is focused on those who are cycling, pregnant, or parenting.
Typical Monthly Schedule
Session 1: 1st Tuesday or 1st Thursday of the month at 7p EST
Session 2: 3rd Wednesday of the month at 7p EST
Expecting After Infertility and/or Loss Group
This group is focused on the range of emotions, from apprehension to joy, that can arise when expecting after experiencing infertility and/or loss. This group is open to pregnant people, and those who are dealing with waiting for birth through adoption or surrogacy.
This group typically meets on the 2nd and 4th Monday of each month at 7:30p EST.
Fertility and Family Building Group for Men
This group is open to any person who identifies as male that is struggling to become a parent, including but not limited to those with a male fertility diagnosis.
This group typically meets on the 3rd Tuesday of each month at 7p EST.
IVF Group
This group is open to anyone who is doing IVF for any reason (infertility, genetic testing purposes, reciprocal IVF, fertility preservation, etc.) and is not yet parenting.
This group meets on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of each month at 7p EST, with registration opening approximately 1 week prior to the session.
Mindfulness during Family Building
This 60-minute mindfulness exploration is for anyone navigating a family building journey who would like to learn skills and strategies that will be supportive for the stressors they may encounter. Practices may include guided meditation, affirmations, visualizations, or gentle movement. Participants are encouraged to have a journal or something similar for writing.
Beginning in August 2023, this group will meet on the 3rd Thursday of each month from 6:30-7:30p EST.
Carissa Spada, LMT has been serving others through the wellness field for over 20 years. She is a massage therapist, yoga and mindfulness meditation coach specializing in fertility. Having experienced her own personal fertility challenges, and ultimately IVF, she can relate and understand how trying this journey can be. Carissa supports all of her clients in reducing stress and achieving optimal health as they more deeply relate to their own inner wisdom.
One and No Longer Trying for Another Group
This peer group provides support to those who are contemplating the decision, or have made the decision to stop trying for a sibling and are finding peace with having one child.
This group meets on the 3rd Thursday of each month at 7:30p EST.
Parenting After Group
This group is open to those parenting after infertility, loss, and family building struggles from birth through the first year postpartum/post-adoption to connect with others in similar situations. All are welcome, regardless of path to parenthood!
This group typically meets on the 2nd Thursday of each month at 7:30p EST.
Parenting Newborns After Family Building Challenges
This group is open to anyone who has welcomed a little one (or multiple little ones), into their lives, from any path to parenthood. The transition from struggling to grow your family to life with newborns (aged birth to four months) can be challenging. This group will provide targeted support, as well as connection to resources around infant care/development (feeding, sleep, etc.) and parental well-being as you embark on the next phase of your journey.
Beginning in May 2023, Parenting Newborns will be offered on the 4th Tuesday of each month from 12-1:30p EST.
Emily Lindblad is a Birth, Postpartum and Bereavement Doula, Certified Breastfeeding Educator, Infant Massage Instructor and Pediatric Sleep Consultant who has worked with a variety of perinatal populations as a family support specialist and educator. She is the Operations Manager of Resolve New England. Emily’s own experiences with infertility, pregnancy loss, a high-risk pregnancy and subsequent NICU stay, and perinatal mental health and anxiety disorders underscores her passion for supporting people during challenging periods in their family’s evolution.
Pregnancy Loss Group
This group is open to people parenting or not yet parenting. It offers support to those who have experienced miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, chemical pregnancy, TFMR, and/or recurrent pregnancy loss.
This group typically meets on the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 7:30p EST.
Primary Infertility Group
This group is focused on those navigating an infertility diagnosis and potential treatment options who are not yet parenting.
It meets on the 2nd Monday of each month at 7:30p EST and the 4th Thursday of the month at 7p EST.
*Schedule Change: In August, the first session of the Primary Infertility Group will be on Wednesday, Aug. 9th at 7:30p EST and the second session will meet on Tuesday, Aug. 22nd at 7p EST.
Primary Pregnancy Loss Group
This group is open to anyone who has experienced pregnancy loss(es) and is not yet parenting. It offers support to those who have experienced miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, chemical pregnancy, TFMR, and/or recurrent pregnancy loss.
This group typically meets on the 1st Wednesday of each month at 7:30p EST.
*Schedule Change: The September session of the Primary Loss Group will meet 1 week early, on Wednesday, Aug. 30th at 7:30p EST.
Queer Parents to Be Support Group
This group is open to anyone under the LGBTQ+ rainbow who are trying to grow their families. It is a partnership between Family Equality Council, LGBTQ+ Perinatal Wellness Center and Resolve New England. Registration is required via this link.
This group typically meets on alternating Wednesdays.
Surrogacy Group
This group is open to all at any stage of building a family through the gestational carrier/surrogacy process, from decision-making to parenting.
This group typically meets on the 3rd Monday of each month at 7:30p EST.
Trying for Another Group
This peer group provides support to those facing the unique challenges and frustrations of struggling to add another child to their family.
This group typically meets on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of each month at 7p EST.
Trying To Conceive Group
This group is for anyone not yet parenting who is struggling to conceive and not pursuing fertility treatment at this time.
This group typically meets on the 3rd Thursday of each month at 7p EST.
*Schedule Change: The October session of the TTC Group will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 17th at 7p EST.
“The unbiased care, empathy and support from everyone is incredible. The most encouraging group of [people] I’ve ever met.“
-RNE Community Member