of the area surrounding
Washington DC including Virginia and Maryland
The purpose of TCF is to assist families in the positive resolution of grief following the death of a child and to provide information to help others to be supportive.
Several chapters exist in the Washington, DC Metro area encompassing parts of Virginia and Maryland. Information regarding the meeting locations, times and points of contacts for each chapter can be found on the chapter websites listed below. Additionally, information can be obtained on all chapters by dialing 301-776-8500.
The secret of The Compassionate Friends' success is simple: There is no line between being a helper and being helped. In the early months of peoples' membership in TCF, it seems that most of the time is spent absorbing ideas, crying and letting the grief flow, and "learning the ropes" of being a bereaved parent. The next step is reaching out to others and helping them. It is not a big step, for listening to another person sort out his life helps us to sort out our lives, too. But it is an important step, because it is the first point at which the movement is reversed. All the energy had been going inward. We had been feeling so empty inside that we kept withdrawing into ourselves. But at the point when we turn around is the point when we first listen to another, speeak the words of comfort and hope, share our pain instead of just feeling our pain. At that time the real healing has started.
-- Dennis Klass, Ph.D.
