MOTHERLESS DAUGHTERS COMMUNITY CALLS
A place where you won’t ever feel alone
Live, weekly group support calls on Zoom led by Hope Edelman and experienced co-facilitators, with discussions on topics of special interest to our community.
“The connection between women who hardly know each other is amazing. For the first time, I don’t feel like I’m different and misunderstood. I’m so happy about this because feeling that way can make you very lonely.”
On a Motherless Daughters Community Call, you’ll find a group of women who know what it’s like to adjust (and re-adjust) to a world without a mom and to be an adult who longs for her advice or support. Daughters join us from all over the world to learn about mother loss and grief, and to meet others who have had similar experiences.
At the top of each month, we begin a new set of 4 calls. Your registration includes all 4 monthly calls and ongoing support online.
Choose from either Tuesdays at 5 pm PT / 8 pm ET
or Thursdays at 11 am PT / 2 pm ET
WHAT DO WE DISCUSS?
Lots! Every week features a new and different topic. Women vote each month on future topics to be discussed — YOU choose the subjects, to ensure that the calls meet your needs.
On the Tuesday calls, we also host smaller breakout rooms twice a month where you can have more intimate conversations with women whose stories share aspects of yours.
ALREADY JOINED AND LOOKING FOR THE CALL-IN LINK?
JANUARY TOPICS
Week One (January 7 and 9): Welcome Session and Story Sharing.
We meet new members and get to know them and their stories. You’ll have an opportunity to find other women with histories similar to yours, and to offer and receive support from fellow group members.
Tuesday and Thursday: Breakout room with Hope just for this month’s new members
Week Two (January 14 and 16): The Aftermath.
Major studies on childhood bereavement affirm that what happens after a mother dies can have just as much influence on a daughter as the loss itself. The quality and consistency of caretaking that follows; the impact of secondary losses (such as moving or changing schools); and the degree of emotional support she receives are all important indicators of her long-term adjustment. Join us in Week Two for a deep dive into research and experience, as we explore how what happened in the aftermath a mother’s death affected the kind of adults we became.
Tuesday: Breakout room for Motherless Daughters who were 12 and under when their mothers died
Week Three (January 21 and 23): Tips, Tools, and Therapies Week: Journaling for Self-Reflection.
Focused freewriting is a gentle way to release emotion and also to dislodge memories. It’s also one of Hope’s favorite tools to use with students in her writing classes. In Week Three, Hope will walk the group through a series of writing prompts to help you form a container for your thoughts and feelings, and to record and reflect on different parts of your story of loss.
Week Four (January 28 and 30): Managing Guilt and Regret.
Are positive memories of your mom mixed in with some not-so-positive memories of some of your interactions? The tween and teen years, especially, may have handed us memories we’d rather forget. What can we do with regret we’re still carrying for things we didn’t say and do, as well as guilt for things we did? In Week Four, we’ll share some of the memories we’ve been holding on to; explore the costs and benefits of self-recrimination; and learn new tools for releasing ourselves from negative thought patterns.
Tuesday: Breakout room for Motherless Daughters who were teenagers (13-19) when their mothers died
Click the button to view this month’s topics.
Click the button to explore topics covered in previous months.
WHAT’S INCLUDED?
Four 90-minute calls per month. Every call begins with an hour-long discussion about that week’s topic, where anyone can participate.
We wrap up with an optional 30-minute open conversation to continue sharing your stories (or just to read the comments and listen). This is the part women often love most — the opportunity to connect directly with others in the community. A member of our staff facilitates the conversation but the subjects discussed here each week are entirely up to YOU.
Twice a month on Tuesdays we feature breakout room discussions for affinity groups such as Motherless Daughters who were 12 and under when their mothers died; Twenty- and Thirtysomethings; or Motherless Daughters who are childless by circumstance or choice.
A special private Facebook group where you can share your story, ask questions, give and receive support, and meet women with histories similar to yours. Access to this group is open-ended -- you can still participate even after your paid subscription ends.
Guidelines to keep the space safe. Click HERE to read them.
Already a part of our Tuesday or Thursday MDCC calls and within two years of your loss? Transition to our new Recent Loss calls by emailing mdcc@hopeedelman.com, and we will be happy to make the switch for you. Or, if you prefer to continue with your current call and add the new one, enjoy both at a special discount rate of $89/month.
“It fills such a void for those of us who ‘want/need/must’ seek help and connection — but don’t know how to start. The access to this support is remarkable.”
MEET YOUR CO-FACILITATORS
Hope Edelman has been writing and speaking about the long-term effects of early mother loss for more than 25 years. Her personal story of loss began at 17 when her mother died of breast cancer. Unable to find a book for young women struggling with mother loss, she decided to write one herself. In 1994, the first edition of Motherless Daughters was published. Since then, it has sold more than a million copies and has been published in 14 countries and 11 languages.
In 2016, Hope founded Motherless Daughters Retreats with therapist and author Claire Bidwell Smith. Since then, nearly 300 women have attended 13 healing retreats, and Hope’s online programs for motherless daughters have reached hundreds more.
A certified coach specializing in grief and loss, Hope has appeared on Today, Good Morning America, CNN, Good Morning Australia, KTLA, and CBC, and is a sought-after speaker at events worldwide.
Fellow Motherless Daughter Zanne Hollingshead lost her mom to brain cancer when she was 10 years old. She’s been an active member of the online Motherless Daughter's Community since its inception, and has been co-faciliting the weekly Tuesday Community Calls with Hope since early 2023.
Zanne is a wellness advocate, life coach and group facilitator, dedicated to using her experience of mother loss, sibling loss, close friend loss and learnings from many therapeutic avenues to walk alongside others through life's great challenges. She completed a renowned life coaching training program in 2023 and specializes in coaching women who are navigating loss, change and healing.
Zanne is a seeker and supporter who leads with her heart, and believes that healing and transformation is possible through courageous, intentional, exploratory inner work coupled with peer support. The greater MD Community has been of immeasurable value to Zanne, from participation in childhood mother loss retreats and traveling to Peru for 2022 Motherless Daughters service trip, to co-facilitating and coordinating the new Motherless Daughters Support Circle Training Program, she is captivated by the power of peer support and a huge advocate of its contribution to healing.
WHAT DOES IT COST?
Just $59 per month for 4 calls.
Please note: This is a subscription. Your card will be billed $59/month when you sign up, and then again on that day of the next month. You may stop the subscription anytime before the your next billing cycle by sending an email to info@hopeedelman.com with the subject UNSUBSCRIBE.
We welcome new participants at the top of every month. On our end, we commit to being there for you every week, on whichever day you have chosen as your MDCC meet-up!
Scholarship requests: We can often offer partial or full scholarships to women in financial need, with special consideration for BIPOC, LGBTQ, single moms, students, and anyone in financial hardship due to an adverse health event. Please contact us at info@hopeedelman.com.
LOOKING FOR THE CALL LINK?
If you join before Week 2, you will receive the WELCOME EMAIL for that month. If you join AFTER Week 2, you will receive a Welcome Email for the next FULL month of calls. We regret that we cannot start new participants in Week 3 or Week 4 of any month.
The WELCOME EMAIL will have all the important details and links within 24 hours of registering. If you don’t see it, please check by searching your spam and promotions folders for an email from info@hopeedelman.com.
You can also add this email address to your "safe sender" list.
Haven't received the email after 24 hours? Please let us know by sending an email to info@hopeedelman.com.
PLEASE NOTE:
Motherless Daughters Community Calls are not intended to be a substitute for therapy. They are a place where you can receive peer support, not clinical assistance. Our facilitators are not licensed therapists. We reserve the right to steer the conversation away from sensitive material that would be better addressed in a therapeutic setting. We ask that you refrain from sharing graphic details about traumatic loss or childhood abuse that may be emotionally triggering for other participants on the call.
TO UNSUBSCRIBE & CANCEL YOUR SUBSCRIPTION:
To cancel your subscription for the next month of MDCCs, please send an email to info@hopeedelman.com with UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line.
Please contact us within 48 hours of your monthly billing date, so we can cancel your subscriptions before your next payment is auto-charged.
If you contact us after your monthly payment has gone through, you will receive the four calls for that month and your card will not be charged again.