Peer Support
Kim Kelley, PSC
Peer Support Coordinator
My name is Kim Kelley and I have been facilitating peer support in some capacity since January 2011. I have been married for 19 years and I am the mom of 6 beautiful children on earth ranging in ages of 2-17. I also have 5 angel babies I know are waiting for me in heaven. We lost Bryce at 20 weeks (2009), Maria at 18 weeks (2010), Gavin at 15 weeks ( 2011) Jonah at 22 weeks (2013) and Nadia at 20 weeks (2014). I was called to do peer support after we lost Maria in 2010 after not being able to find support for myself.
I joined the Heaven’s Gain Family in 2014 and currently hold the position of Peer Support Coordinator. In this position, I facilitate meetings four times a month, contact and follow up with clients after a loss, talk to funeral homes about current and future needs, occasionally help with birth plans and offer peer support to anyone needing it.
It is a true personal mission to make sure women and families get the support they need before, during and after the loss of their precious baby.
Contact Kim@staging.heavensgain.org or (513) 619-0100
A Few Helpful Resources
Heaven’s Gain Ministries (HGM) is a non-profit located at 6269 Harrison Avenue in Cincinnati, Ohio. We are dedicated to help families who have found out that their baby no longer has a heartbeat. HGM helps families with support before, during, and after the delivery of their baby. There is no time limit on grief, so there is no time limit on our support. For more information, call Donna (513) 607-6083 or email donna@staging.heavensgain.org , or call Kim at (513) 619-0100 email kim@staging.heavensgain.org
Peer Support is Proven. Peer Support Works.
Empathy
Peer support provides a personal level of knowledge by sharing similar life experiences. These common personal experiences can foster meaningful connections and a deeper sense of understanding and empathy between peers who may otherwise feel misunderstood. Pregnancy loss can be confusing and full of many emotions. Others may make you feel “crazy” or “abnormal”. Its nice to hear someone else’s story and be told what you feel, is in fact “normal”.
Connecting/Reducing Isolation
Pregnancy loss can feel isolating. Knowing someone and being able to talk to someone that has experienced it also, makes a huge difference. Many people may not be able to speak with friends or family – and some people may be afraid to talk about the subject altogether. Peer support provides a safe and more comfortable platform to open up and connect with others.
Hope
A peer who has experienced pregnancy loss can provide useful insight on how to healthily manage the sadness, the new “normal” and what to expect through the recovery process. In many ways peers can help through similar struggles. You get to meet parents in different stages of their grieving journey and that can promote hope in the present and in the future.
Mental & Physical Health
Peer support brings personal knowledge of what it is like to live after the loss of your precious baby. Studies have shown time and time again, those who participate in peer support often influence other positive, self-care and lifestyle behaviors like regular exercise, healthy eating, and stress management.
Peer Support DOES NOT duplicate or replace the roles of therapists or doctors.
Types of Support
One-on-One
Our support staff is available for one-on-one support sessions. Call to reserve a time that works for you.
(513) 607-6083 / (513) 619-0100
Couples
Our staff is available for couple support sessions. We all grieve differently, especially men and women. We assist couples in navigating how to help their spouse with grief and healing. We do NOT provide marriage counseling. Call to reserve a time that works for you.
(513) 607-6083 / (513) 619-0100
Group
Group support is available in-person (Cincinnati Area) or virtually as an on-line zoom meeting. On-line meetings are private to the group only, so call to get the meeting ID and password (513) 619-0100. Currently zoom meetings are held monthly on the second Thursday, 7 pm EST for Pregnancy loss support and on the fourth Thursday, 7pm EST for Rainbow pregnancy support.
The term Rainbow pregnancy denotes the joy of a new baby after the storm of a pregnancy loss. Learn More
Ways to Receive Support
Video Conferencing
We are available to make individual video calls or zoom calls upon request. Please email heavensgain@staging.heavensgain.org or phone (513) 607-6083 to make an appointment.