About us
❤️🩹 If you’re going through a breakup, divorce, or major life transition and feeling tender, stuck, or overwhelmed, New Beginnings Relationship Support (SF) offers a compassionate community where you can land, know acceptance, and begin finding your way forward. Here, you’re not expected to have it all figured out. While each person’s healing journey is unique, no one needs to go it alone. We offer kindness, understanding, and a deeply human space where you are welcome exactly as you are.
🔷 We host weekly support meetings on Zoom every Wednesday evening from 7–9 pm (Pacific time). The first hour includes a video or short talk focused on personal growth, emotional healing, better communication, or understanding and managing the divorce process. The second hour is a confidential sharing circle, where participants are invited to have their cameras on to help create a safe, supportive environment. Meetings are no cost to participants, but donations via Venmo (@Amy-Papazian) are appreciated to help cover the time and care invested in preparing meaningful practical content. There's no charge to join the Meetup group itself.
🔷 We also host weekly one-hour walks (rain or shine) for Divorced Dads in San Mateo, CA. These walks offer a relaxed, low-pressure way to connect with others who understand what you're going through, while getting a bit of fresh air, movement, and enjoying a beautiful view of Crystal Springs Reservoir. There is no charge for our weekly walks.
🔷 Looking to make new friends and get back out into the world? We also host an in-person Meetup group called New Beginnings Social Events, created especially for people who are starting a new chapter and would love more connection, fun, and friendship. Our social events are focused on the SF Peninsula, San Francisco, and the South Bay, and include easygoing gatherings like walks, coffee meetups, casual dinners, game nights, music, dancing, and other low-pressure ways to meet kind, supportive people who “get it.” You’re warmly invited to join us there as well if you’re craving more in-person connection and friendship.
❤️ We’d love for you to join us! Please make sure to turn ON Meetup notifications so you can stay updated on all our gatherings and events. We require a profile photo with your face visible for the safety of all.
Upcoming events
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😊 Happier: What Really Makes a Difference (4-Week Series)
·OnlineOnline😊 Happier: What Really Makes a Difference
We all want to be happy — or at least happier more often.
So why can happiness sometimes feel surprisingly elusive, even when many things in our lives are going well? Why do some things we’re sure will make us happier have such a short-lived effect? And why do other seemingly small experiences have a much bigger impact than we expect?
In this four-week series, we’ll explore some of the most interesting and surprising research on happiness, relationships, attention, habits, and wellbeing.
We’ll look at what actually seems to help people feel better and live more satisfying lives — and challenge some commonly held assumptions along the way.
Each week will include practical ideas, discussion, reflection, and a small experiment you can try in your own life.
---------------------------------
FOUR-WEEK SERIES:
Wednesday, September 2 - WEEK 1
Why Aren’t We Happier?
What we think will make us happy — and what actually happensWednesday, September 9 - WEEK 2
The People Factor
Why connection matters more than we realizeWednesday, September 16 - WEEK 3
Finding More Happiness Now
Attention, appreciation, and the moments we missWednesday, September 23 - WEEK 4
What Actually Makes Us Happier?
Putting the research into practice
---------------------------------THIS WEEK'S FOCUS - WEEK 2
The People Factor
Why connection matters more than we realizeWhat has decades of research revealed about one of the strongest predictors of a satisfying life?
It isn’t money, status, or achievement.
This week, we’ll explore the powerful role that relationships, belonging, friendship, love, and everyday human connection play in our wellbeing.
We’ll also look beyond romantic relationships to the many different ways connection can show up in our lives — and some surprisingly simple ways we may be able to create more of it.
---------------------------------
✨ Takeaway
This series is designed to help you better understand what actually contributes to happiness and wellbeing — and what may matter less than we think.
Through research, reflection, discussion, and simple real-life experiments, you’ll explore practical ways to experience more connection, appreciation, meaning, and enjoyment in your life, even when some parts of life are still difficult or unresolved.
---------------------------------
How We Learn Together
Each session is designed to help you understand the concepts, connect them to your own experiences, and leave with practical ideas you can apply in your relationships.
- Easy-to-understand teaching with relatable, real-life examples
- Video clips that bring key concepts to life
- Reflection exercises to connect the material to your own experiences
- Group discussion and practical ideas to strengthen your relationships
---------------------------------
Our Typical Agenda
• Brief Welcome & Introductions
• Teaching, Video(s), or Guest Speaker (30-45 minutes)
• Interactive Group Discussion
• Bio Break
• Confidential Sharing* (approximately 45 minutes)*We ask attendees to have their cameras on during confidential sharing to help create a safe and connected space.
--------------------------------
🔹 About the Group
This is a relationship support meeting that combines learning and sharing in a warm, supportive environment. You’re always welcome to connect, reflect, and grow—at your own pace.
✨ Come as you are and share only what feels comfortable. We do not record our meetings. You are welcome whether you are navigating divorce, separation, dating, family relationships, friendships, or simply trying to create healthier patterns in your life. ❤️
--------------------------------
💌 A Little Support Goes a Long Way
If you’re finding value in these gatherings, we invite you to consider a $20 monthly contribution to help support:
- Our paid Zoom account
- Our Meetup Subscription
- Weekly preparation, curation, and handouts
- Ongoing care of this growing community
Venmo: @Amy-Papazian (last 4 digits: 8444)
10% of each donation supports New Beginnings — our volunteer-led community creating friendship, fun, and fresh experiences.🤗 Thank you in advance – whether you give now, later, or simply keep showing up, you help make this group special. 💕
--------------------------------
🌱 Continue the Conversation
Everyone processes differently. Some people find a group discussion most helpful, while others prefer the privacy of a one-on-one conversation.
If you'd like to talk about your own relationships or life transition in a confidential setting, I invite you to schedule a
complimentary 45-minute Strategy Session—or simply call or text me at 650.504.8444.--------------------------------
🎉 New Beginnings Social Events
Ready to reconnect with the world a little more? Our New Beginnings Social Events group offers relaxed, welcoming activities — both in-person around the San Francisco Bay Area and online — for connection, laughter, and new friendships. Explore what’s coming up: meetup.com/bay-area-new-beginnings
1 attendee
😊 Happier: What Really Makes a Difference (4-Week Series)
·OnlineOnline😊 Happier: What Really Makes a Difference
We all want to be happy — or at least happier more often.
So why can happiness sometimes feel surprisingly elusive, even when many things in our lives are going well? Why do some things we’re sure will make us happier have such a short-lived effect? And why do other seemingly small experiences have a much bigger impact than we expect?
In this four-week series, we’ll explore some of the most interesting and surprising research on happiness, relationships, attention, habits, and wellbeing.
We’ll look at what actually seems to help people feel better and live more satisfying lives — and challenge some commonly held assumptions along the way.
Each week will include practical ideas, discussion, reflection, and a small experiment you can try in your own life.
---------------------------------
FOUR-WEEK SERIES:
Wednesday, September 2 - WEEK 1
Why Aren’t We Happier?
What we think will make us happy — and what actually happensWednesday, September 9 - WEEK 2
The People Factor
Why connection matters more than we realizeWednesday, September 16 - WEEK 3
Finding More Happiness Now
Attention, appreciation, and the moments we missWednesday, September 23 - WEEK 4
What Actually Makes Us Happier?
Putting the research into practice---------------------------------
THIS WEEK'S FOCUS - WEEK 3
Finding More Happiness Now
Attention, appreciation, and the moments we missHave you ever looked forward to something for weeks — a vacation, a celebration, time with someone you love — only to realize afterward that you were barely present for it?
Our attention is constantly being pulled toward what already happened, what might happen next, what needs fixing, and what still isn’t right.
This week, we’ll explore how attention shapes our experience of happiness and why practices such as mindfulness, gratitude, savoring, nature, and even ordinary everyday moments may matter more than we realize.
The question isn’t only what good things are in our lives.
It’s whether we’re actually noticing them.
---------------------------------
✨ Takeaway
This series is designed to help you better understand what actually contributes to happiness and wellbeing — and what may matter less than we think.
Through research, reflection, discussion, and simple real-life experiments, you’ll explore practical ways to experience more connection, appreciation, meaning, and enjoyment in your life, even when some parts of life are still difficult or unresolved.
---------------------------------
How We Learn Together
Each session is designed to help you understand the concepts, connect them to your own experiences, and leave with practical ideas you can apply in your relationships.
- Easy-to-understand teaching with relatable, real-life examples
- Video clips that bring key concepts to life
- Reflection exercises to connect the material to your own experiences
- Group discussion and practical ideas to strengthen your relationships
---------------------------------
Our Typical Agenda
• Brief Welcome & Introductions
• Teaching, Video(s), or Guest Speaker (30-45 minutes)
• Interactive Group Discussion
• Bio Break
• Confidential Sharing* (approximately 45 minutes)*We ask attendees to have their cameras on during confidential sharing to help create a safe and connected space.
--------------------------------
🔹 About the Group
This is a relationship support meeting that combines learning and sharing in a warm, supportive environment. You’re always welcome to connect, reflect, and grow—at your own pace.
✨ Come as you are and share only what feels comfortable. We do not record our meetings. You are welcome whether you are navigating divorce, separation, dating, family relationships, friendships, or simply trying to create healthier patterns in your life. ❤️
--------------------------------
💌 A Little Support Goes a Long Way
If you’re finding value in these gatherings, we invite you to consider a $20 monthly contribution to help support:
- Our paid Zoom account
- Our Meetup Subscription
- Weekly preparation, curation, and handouts
- Ongoing care of this growing community
Venmo: @Amy-Papazian (last 4 digits: 8444)
10% of each donation supports New Beginnings — our volunteer-led community creating friendship, fun, and fresh experiences.🤗 Thank you in advance – whether you give now, later, or simply keep showing up, you help make this group special. 💕
--------------------------------
🌱 Continue the Conversation
Everyone processes differently. Some people find a group discussion most helpful, while others prefer the privacy of a one-on-one conversation.
If you'd like to talk about your own relationships or life transition in a confidential setting, I invite you to schedule a
complimentary 45-minute Strategy Session—or simply call or text me at 650.504.8444.--------------------------------
🎉 New Beginnings Social Events
Ready to reconnect with the world a little more? Our New Beginnings Social Events group offers relaxed, welcoming activities — both in-person around the San Francisco Bay Area and online — for connection, laughter, and new friendships. Explore what’s coming up: meetup.com/bay-area-new-beginnings
1 attendee
Past events
315
