Going Solo support group

A weekly therapist-facilitated support group for women facing long-term separation or divorce

Going Solo is a women-only group in which you can feel safe to laugh, cry, and share.

Are you feeling alone at a time when you most need love and understanding? Wishing that someone knew exactly what you are going through?

Going Solo is a free online drop-in group for women experiencing the end of a long-term relationship—whether legally divorcing or not. You may be thinking about splitting up, actively engaged in the process, or experiencing lingering challenges.

No matter what your story is or how difficult, you are not alone.

Thursdays, 6:00-7:30 p.m. on Zoom

Call us at 734.973.6779. If you are intimidated by the phone, you can also contact us through email at info@womenscentersemi.org.

Our group facilitator, Paula Michalak, MA, LPC, will follow up with you to explain more about how the group works, and sign you up for our mailing list. You can use the Zoom link when the time is right for you.

The group is topical from week-to-week, focusing on moving forward. We welcome you to drop in — everyone is new at some time, so we understand what it feels like to show up for the first time.

We will give everyone time to share stories and individual concerns — and what can also be an exhilarating opportunity to begin anew.

Some likely discussions are:

  • Accepting the death of a dream

  • Naming our strengths

  • Self-nurturing and re-discovery

  • Developing rites of passage

  • Forgiving ourselves and our former partner

  • Looking ahead — older and wiser

  • Having a good good-bye

  • Dreaming of the future

What will we talk about?

Participants gain strength and encouragement from hearing one another’s stories. Though your experience is unique, there are common themes in the ending of a relationship.

Women often experience a sense of isolation: participating in a group provides connection as well as the opportunity for growth and healing.

What participants are saying about Going Solo

“Participating in the group made me realize that I was not alone.”

“The group helped me realize that I had a future.”

“Seeing the progress of other women over the course of the group made me realize that I was moving forward as well.”

“Participating helped me clarify my long-term goals and to focus on what’s best for myself and my children.”

“The laughter was healing.”

“Sharing my story was healing – I felt less shame about failing in my relationship.”

About your facilitator

Paula Johnson Michalak, MA, LPC
Going Solo Facilitator
Licensed Professional Counselor

Our Going Solo facilitator is Paula Johnson Michalak, MA, LPC.

Paula has years of experience in facilitating divorce groups for both women and men. She understands divorce from both a professional and personal perspective. After her own 25-year marriage ended in divorce, Paula found “much-needed healing and strength from participating (twice!) in a Divorce Recovery Program.”

She has a B.A. in Communication and a Masters in Community Counseling from Eastern Michigan University.

Divorce Education & Support Services

We move in and out of relationships. Some relationships are definitely worth keeping. Others are not. A relationship may feel like the real deal, until, suddenly, it doesn’t. A connection that you thought was mutual can end abruptly, without a good goodbye. Or it can drag on well past its expiration date.

Take a deep breath. You can do this. You’ll come out on the other side of this experience with skills and strengths you never knew you had.