Parent Connection comes to town

#MiddleburyCT #SubstanceAbuse #ParentConnection

Kevin Carolan, left, and his mother, Dorrie, are integral parts of the nonprofit Parent Connection. Dorrie is its founder and executive director; Kevin serves as its secretary. (Parent Connection photo)

By MARJORIE NEEDHAM

Parent Connection, a nonprofit aimed at helping those whose loved ones are using or abusing substances such as alcohol, marijuana, hallucinogens, inhalants and opioids, will meet in Middlebury every Tuesday night starting March 7. Meetings will run from 7 to 9 p.m. in Father Fanning Hall at St. John of the Cross Church at 1263 West Street. Entry is on the lower level on the Westover side of the parking lot.

Middlebury was chosen as a midpoint that is more convenient for clients traveling from the Waterbury and Southbury areas. Meetings there are sponsored by the Jonathan Simko Scholarship Foundation.

Parent Connection is a nonprofit that provides resources for individuals and families affected by substance use disorder (changes in the brain cells and behavior caused by repeatedly using a controlled substance). Its goals are to educate and empower communities in the prevention of substance abuse and to embrace families in crisis.

Dorrie Carolan of Newtown formed Parent Connection in 1993 when she became aware drugs were affecting her son Brian, along with many others in Newtown. She started it as an attempt to network with other concerned parents and offer strength, support and hope. Brian died of a prescription drug overdose in 1999 at the age of 28.

“The devastating impact on my family caused by this insidious disease paralyzed us and I felt there was no one to turn to,” Dorrie said. “We officially started a weekly hope and support group and we embraced those family members who didn’t know where to turn. It’s about coming out, being with people who understand what you are going through, and getting educated. The group was facilitated by a therapist, and we offered anonymity. You didn’t have to share your story if you didn’t choose too, we just asked those attending to listen and learn from others.”

She also organized a community gathering to discuss how drugs were affecting the schools and community, and that gathering led to policy changes in the town and its schools. People started discussing their loved ones’ addictions more openly.

In 2003, with drug overdoses on the rise, Carolan joined with others to establish Newtown Parent Connection as a 501(c)(3). It now offers hope and support groups in three locations, Milford, Newtown and Middlebury. These groups provide safe and confidential forums where anyone can share openly while receiving peer and professional support, compassion and, most of all, hope! For one family, that meant a 70-year-old parent stopped abusing alcohol and established a meaningful relationship with their child.

Parent Connection’s weekly meetings from 7 to 9 p.m. are facilitated by a licensed therapist and are free of charge.

The Fairfield/Milford group meets Monday evenings at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church at 71 River St. in Milford. Enter in the back of the building through the red door farthest to the right.

The Middlebury group meets Tuesday evenings in Father Fanning Hall located at St. John of the Cross Church at 1263 West St. in Middlebury. Entry is on the lower level on the Westover side of the parking lot.

The Newtown group meets Thursday evenings at the Newtown Parent Connection building at 2 Washington Square in Fairfield Hills in Newtown.

Parent Connection also offers a monthly bereavement support group – a compassionate venue for those who have lost a child or loved one due to substance abuse or a catastrophic circumstance. The meetings are held the first Wednesday of each month from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Newtown Parent Connection building at 2 Washington Square in Fairfield Hills in Newtown. The group is facilitated by a licensed grief therapist.

Those who have concerns about a loved one who is struggling with substance use/or abuse do not have to face this alone. For more information, contact Dorrie Carolan at 203-270-1600 or visit CTParentConnection.org. The group is there to help you navigate this difficult journey.

Parent Connection also sponsors educational forums, and a community panel on substance abuse and addiction is coming up Tuesday, March 14, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Newtown Congregational Church in Newtown. Find the details in “In Brief” on page 6.