Upcoming Support Groups and Events
We offer ongoing support groups for a variety of loss circumstances, all of which meet monthly. Currently all of our support groups meet virtually using the Zoom platform. Click through the calendar to see upcoming meetings and events for our community.
We know support groups are not for everyone. Visit our Individual Support page to learn about other ways we may be able to support you.
Not local to Massachusetts? Our TFMR Support groups, our LGBTQ+ Pregnancy and Infant Loss Support Groups and our BIPOC Pregnancy and Infant Loss Support Groups are the only support groups that include nation-wide participants. Our focus is on building actual, lived community in Western Mass, so we try to keep our groups Massachusetts-populated. We encourage you to visit the National Share Organization to look for your own local community-based support, or find an organization that is intended to be for a national audience.
Termination for Medical Reasons Support Group (Tuesday)
Our TFMR groups are open to all who have experienced the agonizing decision to end a pregnancy because of a life-limiting prenatal diagnosis, regardless of gestation. If you’re reading this, you know that this type of loss is particularly complicated. In addition to grief for the baby, many people struggle with additional guilt, fear of judgment, and trauma. Our facilitators create a space that is ultra safe, ultra accepting, and ultra compassionate. You and your story and your baby belong here.
This group meets the last Tuesday of each month from 7-9 PM EST. If you’re interested in joining this support group, please fill out our contact form.
We offer 3 drop-in groups per month for you to choose from, the others occurring on the second Thursday of each month from 7-9 PM EST and on the third Wednesday of each month from 7-9 PM EST.
Accompanying Parents When a Baby Dies for Bedside Providers
Carol McMurrich, EdM, leads participants in an exploration of successful, compassionate bereavement care.
DATE & TIME: Monday, January 12th from 6:30-9:00 PM EST
LOCATION: Virtually held on Zoom
COST: $65
ACCREDITATION:
2.5 contact hours through ANAMass (This nursing continuing professional development activity was approved by American Nurses Association Massachusetts, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation)
1.5 credits for social workers through NASWMA
DESCRIPTION: This is an essential annual course for those who care for parents at the bedside when a baby dies. Perfect for nurses, doulas, and those who are there when a family learns of their baby's death, and those who coach them through the process of delivery, time together, and saying goodbye. This session will feature the contributions from bereaved parents who will share their stories and experiences.
McMurrich’s professional trainings are designed with nurses and OBGYNs on the front lines and are based on her extensive training with the Perinatal Loss and Infant Death Alliance, Share, Pregnancy and Infant Loss, Inc, her own research, and her 15 years of work with hundreds of bereaved families across Western Massachusetts and beyond.
Accompanying Parents When a Baby Dies for Bedside Providers (Copy)
Carol McMurrich, EdM, leads participants in an exploration of successful, compassionate bereavement care.
DATE & TIME: Tuesday, January 27th from 9:00-11:30 AM EST
LOCATION: Virtually held on Zoom
COST: $65
ACCREDITATION:
2.5 contact hours through ANAMass (This nursing continuing professional development activity was approved by American Nurses Association Massachusetts, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation)
1.5 credits for social workers through NASWMA
DESCRIPTION: This is an essential annual course for those who care for parents at the bedside when a baby dies. Perfect for nurses, doulas, and those who are there when a family learns of their baby's death, and those who coach them through the process of delivery, time together, and saying goodbye. This session will feature the contributions from bereaved parents who will share their stories and experiences.
McMurrich’s professional trainings are designed with nurses and OBGYNs on the front lines and are based on her extensive training with the Perinatal Loss and Infant Death Alliance, Share, Pregnancy and Infant Loss, Inc, her own research, and her 15 years of work with hundreds of bereaved families across Western Massachusetts and beyond.
Pregnancy and Infant Loss Training for Clinicians
Carol McMurrich, EdM, leads participants in an exploration of successful, compassionate bereavement care.
DATE & TIME: Tuesday, February 3rd from 6:30-9:00 PM EST
LOCATION: Virtually held on Zoom
COST: $65
ACCREDITATION:
2.5 contact hours through ANAMass (This nursing continuing professional development activity was approved by American Nurses Association Massachusetts, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation)
1.5 credits for social workers through NASWMA
DESCRIPTION: This session is a candid exposure to the realities of what pregnancy and infant loss can be like for parents, what the normal trajectory of grief and healing looks like, and the language and strategies that help and hurt. This session will feature the contributions from bereaved parents who will share their stories and experiences.
McMurrich’s professional trainings are designed with nurses and OBGYNs on the front lines and are based on her extensive training with the Perinatal Loss and Infant Death Alliance, Share, Pregnancy and Infant Loss, Inc, her own research, and her 15 years of work with hundreds of bereaved families across Western Massachusetts and beyond.
Parenting After Loss Support Group; for those with older children at the time of loss
In this group we discuss the full gambit of raising children while also grieving the baby we cannot hold in our arms.
This group meets on the fourth Monday of each month from 7:30-9 PM EST. If you’re interested in joining this support group, please fill out our contact form.
MA Center for Unexpected Infant & Child Death Annual Walk to Remember
The Massachusetts Center for Unexpected Infant and Child Death at Boston Medical Center invites you to join them on Saturday, October 25th, 2025 at Breakheart Reservation in Saugus, Massachusetts for their Annual Walk to Remember to support and join communities statewide who have been affected by infant, child and prenatal loss.
Check-in begins at 10:00 AM at the Visitor’s Center. Following brief remarks at 10:30 AM, a 2-mile walk will commence on Breakheart’s tranquil Inner Loop, with a midway stop at the Lower Pond beach for a name recitation, poem reading, and a flower and bubble release. The Inner Loop is a paved trail and mostly flat with some minor inclines—conducive to strollers, bikes/scooters, and wheelchairs. This event is child and pet friendly—there are picnic tables throughout, as well as a playground and dog park along the way. Parking is free. On-site spots may be limited, but follow signage for additional parking at an adjacent shopping plaza. Beverages and snacks will be available.
Advanced registration is completely optional and available at www.magriefcenter.org. Pre-registering helps us contact you in the event of any changes (weather, etc.) made to our walk. Even if you pre-register, you are not obligated to attend the event.
This is a free event, though donations are welcome to support the Center’s mission of caring for families. For more information, or last-minute updates, please visit www.magriefcenter.org.
Stillbirth and Neonatal Loss Support Group
This group is open to people who have experienced later pregnancy loss after ~20 weeks gestation through early infancy.
This group meets on the fourth Wednesday of each month from 7-9 PM EST. If you’re interested in joining this support group, please fill out our contact form.
BIPOC Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support Group
Our BIPOC group is open to non-white families nationwide who have experienced pregnancy or infant loss. The express intent of this group is to provide a safe and affirming space for people of color to share their unique loss experiences.
This group meets on the third Tuesday of each month from 7-9 PM EST. If you’re interested in joining this support group, please fill out our contact form.
Trying for Another Baby Support Group
When you are thinking about having another baby, the emotions can be complicated and may change from day to day. This support group offers a safe space to explore the idea of next steps. It is intended for people who are thinking about becoming pregnant or who are considering a surrogacy or adoption process. This group is open to residents of Massachusetts, Maine, and Vermont.
This group meets on the third Monday of each month from 7:30-9 PM EST. If you’re interested in joining this support group, please fill out our contact form.
LGBTQ+ Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support Group
This group is for people who identify under the umbrella as queer (LGBTQ+) and have also experienced pregnancy and/or infant loss.
This group usually meets on the third Monday of each month from 7:30-9 PM EST. If you’re interested in joining this support group, please fill out our contact form.
(SOLD OUT) Fall Mini Photoshoot (session 2)
Empty Arms & Jeffrey Rivkin Photography are offering Fall themed mini photoshoots!
Mini shoots are 15 minutes, and can include adults, children, and pets. You receive a generous folder of digital photo files, perfect for holiday cards.
When: Sessions available Friday, September 26th and Saturday, October 18th
Where: 85 Easthampton Road, Westhampton, MA 01027
Cost: $100 (50% of the proceeds benefit Empty Arms)
Slots fill up FAST every year, so secure your spot today!: calendly.com/veronica-emptyarmsbereavement/fall-photo-mini-shoots-clone?month=2025-09
Expecting your Next Baby Support Group
This group addresses the ways in which grief affects a family’s journey towards another baby. This group is open to people who are currently pregnant, people who are currently pregnant through surrogacy, or in an active adoption process.
*This group is intended for those who have participated in or are currently attending at least one of our support groups to process their loss. As this group focuses on next steps, there is less space to process loss in this group.
This group meets on the third Thursday of each month from 7:30-9 PM EST. If you’re interested in joining this support group, please fill out our contact form.
Support Group for Dads
This is a space for male-identifying, non-gestational parents who have lost babies to explore their experience of grief in this culture.
This group meets on the third Wednesday of each month from 7-9 PM EST. If you’re interested in joining this support group, please fill out our contact form.
Wave of Light for Baby Loss Awareness Week
From babyloss-awareness.org:
“We invite you to join other families across the world by lighting a candle at 7pm local time and leaving it burning for at least one hour to remember all babies that have died too soon.
To join our virtual Wave of Light, take a photo of your candle and post it to Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using #WaveOfLight at 7pm local time.
Wherever you do this, you will be joining a global ‘Wave of Light’ in memory of all the babies who lit up our lives for such a short time.”
Termination for Medical Reasons Support Group (Wednesday)
Our TFMR groups are open to all who have experienced the agonizing decision to end a pregnancy because of a life-limiting prenatal diagnosis, regardless of gestation. If you’re reading this, you know that this type of loss is particularly complicated. In addition to grief for the baby, many people struggle with additional guilt, fear of judgment, and trauma. Our facilitators create a space that is ultra safe, ultra accepting, and ultra compassionate. You and your story and your baby belong here.
This group meets the third Wednesday of each month from 7-9 PM EST. If you’re interested in joining this support group, please fill out our contact form.
We offer 3 drop-in groups per month for you to choose from, the others occurring on the second Thursday of each month from 7-9 PM EST and the last Tuesday of each month from 7-9 PM EST.
Infertility & Loss Support Group
This group is for people who have struggled with the double challenge of infertility and loss. If you have suffered any kind of pregnancy or infant loss following an infertility journey, this group is designed with you in mind.
This group meets on the second Tuesday of each month from 7:30-9 PM EST. If you’re interested in joining this support group, please fill out our contact form.
Twin Loss; Parenting a Surviving Twin Support Group
This group is open to anyone who has experienced a loss with multiples while parenting their survivor(s). This group addresses the unique experience of holding ecstatic joy and crushing grief simultaneously.
This group meets bimonthly on the second Monday of the month from 7:30-9 PM EST. In 2025, this group will meet in February, April, June, August, October, and December. If you’re interested in joining this support group, please fill out our contact form.
Infant and Toddler Loss Support Group
This group caters to people who had extended time with their babies before death. Whether your baby had medical complexities, or died unexpectedly at an older age, you are welcome in this group to process the pain of loss along with the social challenges that accompany the loss. This group is open to residents of Massachusetts, Maine, and Vermont.
This group meets on the second Monday of each month from 7-8:30 PM EST. If you’re interested in joining this support group, please fill out our contact form.
Termination for Medical Reasons Support Group (Thursday)
Our TFMR groups are open to all who have experienced the agonizing decision to end a pregnancy because of a life-limiting prenatal diagnosis, regardless of gestation. If you’re reading this, you know that this type of loss is particularly complicated. In addition to grief for the baby, many people struggle with additional guilt, fear of judgment, and trauma. Our facilitators create a space that is ultra safe, ultra accepting, and ultra compassionate. You and your story and your baby belong here.
This group meets the second Thursday of each month from 7-9 PM EST. If you’re interested in joining this support group, please fill out our contact form.
We offer 3 drop-in groups per month for you to choose from, the other occurring on the third Wednesday of each month from 7-9 PM EST and the last Tuesday of each month from 7-9 PM EST.
Miscarriage & Early Pregnancy Loss Support Group
This group is open to anyone who has experienced early pregnancy loss including miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy or termination for medical reasons early in pregnancy.
This group meets on the second Thursday of each month from 7-9 PM EST. If you’re interested in joining this support group, please fill out our contact form.
Parenting After Loss Support Group; for those with a new baby born after loss
This group is for navigating the complexities of welcoming a new baby while grieving the child who is no longer here.
This group meets on the second Wednesday of each month from 7:30-9 PM EST. If you’re interested in joining this support group, please fill out our contact form.
Termination for Medical Reasons Support Group (Tuesday)
Our TFMR groups are open to all who have experienced the agonizing decision to end a pregnancy because of a life-limiting prenatal diagnosis, regardless of gestation. If you’re reading this, you know that this type of loss is particularly complicated. In addition to grief for the baby, many people struggle with additional guilt, fear of judgment, and trauma. Our facilitators create a space that is ultra safe, ultra accepting, and ultra compassionate. You and your story and your baby belong here.
This group meets the last Tuesday of each month from 7-9 PM EST. If you’re interested in joining this support group, please fill out our contact form.
We offer 3 drop-in groups per month for you to choose from, the others occurring on the second Thursday of each month from 7-9 PM EST and on the third Wednesday of each month from 7-9 PM EST.
Accompanying Parents when a Baby Dies (Morning Session)
Carol McMurrich, EdM, leads participants in an exploration of successful, compassionate bereavement care.
Participants in this course will:
Learn best caregiving practices for when a baby dies and why these practices can be important to each individual family.
Explore how to present options to parents which empower them to become active participants in their own loss experience, rather than victims of circumstance.
Practice ways to assess and acknowledge a family’s social and cultural background and how they can use this information to help to make meaning with the family at the time of loss.
Learn from those who have experienced this type of loss themselves via the speakers in the parent panel.
Gather skills for debrief and self-care so that they can learn from, and not be negatively affected by, caring for the bereaved.
COST: $80
This nursing continuing professional development activity was approved by American Nurses Association Massachusetts, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. Nurses who attend and participate in the entire course will be awarded 4 contact hours.
This program has been approved for 3.5 Social Work Continuing Education hours for relicensure, in accordance with 258 CMR. NASW-MA Chapter CE Approving Program, Authorization Number D 92593.
Fall Fest at Mike's Maze
Join Empty Arms for our Annual Fall Fest for games, fun, treats, and community! This event is free for all members of the Empty Arms community. Look for the Empty Arms tent!
Where: Mike's Maze, 23 S Main St, Sunderland, MA 01375
When: Sunday, September 28th from 12-3 PM. Lunch provided at the Empty Arms tent from 12-1!
Free, RSVP required: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScFsd4zbnxTCN2MYs0rwPgKe62ZRh-UNEWOavI8r_WzEhZlXQ/viewform
(SOLD OUT) Fall Mini Photoshoot (session 1)
Empty Arms & Jeffrey Rivkin Photography are offering Fall themed mini photoshoots!
Mini shoots are 15 minutes, and can include adults, children, and pets. You receive a generous folder of digital photo files, perfect for holiday cards.
When: Sessions available Friday, September 26th and Saturday, October 18th
Where: 85 Easthampton Road, Westhampton, MA 01027
Cost: $100 (50% of the proceeds benefit Empty Arms)
Slots fill up FAST every year, so secure your spot today!: calendly.com/veronica-emptyarmsbereavement/fall-photo-mini-shoots-clone?month=2025-09
Stillbirth and Neonatal Loss Support Group
This group is open to people who have experienced later pregnancy loss after 20 weeks gestation through early infancy.
This group meets on the fourth Wednesday of each month from 7-9 PM EST. If you’re interested in joining this support group, please fill out our contact form.
Parenting After Loss Support Group; for those with living children at the time of loss
In this group we discuss the full gambit of raising children while also grieving the baby we cannot hold in our arms.
This group meets on the fourth Monday of each month from 7:30-9 PM EST. If you’re interested in joining this support group, please fill out our contact form.
Expecting your Next Baby Support Group
This group addresses the ways in which grief affects a family’s journey towards another baby. This group is open to people who are currently pregnant, people who are currently pregnant through surrogacy, or in an active adoption process.
*This group is intended for those who have participated in or are currently attending at least one of our support groups to process their loss. As this group focuses on next steps, there is less space to process loss in this group.
This group meets on the third Thursday of each month from 7:30-9 PM EST. If you’re interested in joining this support group, please fill out our contact form.
Termination for Medical Reasons Support Group (Wednesday)
Our TFMR groups are open to all who have experienced the agonizing decision to end a pregnancy because of a life-limiting prenatal diagnosis, regardless of gestation. If you’re reading this, you know that this type of loss is particularly complicated. In addition to grief for the baby, many people struggle with additional guilt, fear of judgment, and trauma. Our facilitators create a space that is ultra safe, ultra accepting, and ultra compassionate. You and your story and your baby belong here.
This group meets the third Wednesday of each month from 7-9 PM EST. If you’re interested in joining this support group, please fill out our contact form.
We offer 3 drop-in groups per month for you to choose from, the others occurring on the second Thursday of each month from 7-9 PM EST and the last Tuesday of each month from 7-9 PM EST.
Support Group for Dads
This is a space for male-identifying, non-gestational parents who have lost babies to explore their experience of grief in this culture.
This group meets on the third Wednesday of each month from 7-9 PM EST. If you’re interested in joining this support group, please fill out our contact form.
BIPOC Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support Group
Our BIPOC group is open to non-white families nationwide who have experienced pregnancy or infant loss. The express intent of this group is to provide a safe and affirming space for people of color to share their unique loss experiences.
This group meets on the third Tuesday of each month from 7-9 PM EST. If you’re interested in joining this support group, please fill out our contact form.
LGBTQ+ Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support Group
This group is for people who identify under the umbrella as queer (LGBTQ+) and have also experienced pregnancy and/or infant loss.
This group usually meets on the *third Monday of each month from 7:30-9 PM EST. If you’re interested in joining this support group, please fill out our contact form.
*Note the recurring date change this month
Trying for Another Baby Support Group
When you are thinking about having another baby, the emotions can be complicated and may change from day to day. This support group offers a safe space to explore the idea of next steps. It is intended for people who are thinking about becoming pregnant or who are considering a surrogacy or adoption process. This group is open to residents of Massachusetts, Maine, and Vermont.
This group meets on the third Monday of each month from 7:30-9 PM EST. If you’re interested in joining this support group, please fill out our contact form.