In efforts to continue to provide affordable counseling services to families, couples and individuals of Lexington, the University of Kentucky Family Centeris now offering a divorce support group for children, as well as free parenting consultations.
The divorce support group for children offers a safe, fun place where children learn skills that will help them to better deal with parental separation or divorce. Guided by therapists through the course of six sessions, children will take part in an imaginary space adventure, allowing them to learn how to better cope with parents' divorce while making it easier to talk about the difficulties associated with it.
The support group is limited to six children per group, ages 7-10 years old. Sessions will be held at the UK Family Center, 205 Scovell Hall, from 10-11 a.m. and 6-7 p.m. on July 21, 24, 28 and 31, and Aug. 4 and 7. If these times and dates do not work, individuals are encouraged to call the center for additional availability.
A fee of $30 covers one child and $45 covers two or more children. To register or to find out more information about the support group, call 859-257-7755 or email ukfamilycenter@uky.edu.
A second new service, free parenting consultations, is being offered by the UK Family Center for parents who are feeling overwhelmed, concerned about their child's behaviors, struggling to relate to their preteen or teenager, noticing a sudden change in their child's overall mood, or for those who are just in need of reassurance, education and advice.
Parenting consultations are confidential but clients must bring someone else with them to receive services, such as a spouse, partner, family member or friend involved in the child’s life. Consultations will be from 2-6 p.m. on every second and fourth Friday of the month at the UK Family Center. Walk-ins are welcome but to avoid waiting, call 859-257-7755 to reserve a session.
The UK Family Center is a community mental health facility serviced by therapy interns who are in the family sciences master's program at UK. Interns are supervised weekly by their clinical supervisors who are licensed marriage and family therapists within UK's family sciences' faculty. The Family Center has contributed its efforts to the community for more than 25 years. As a nonprofit, the Family Center's first priority is to provide a place of genuine personal growth for therapy interns and their clients.