by Josh Carpenter

DENVER – The Moving On After Moving In program has been helping women in the Denver area for almost a year now, and group leader Maureen Malmstrom said the program will only get better.

The program, which Candy Perry started last spring, meets weekly from Jan. 26 to March 29 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Holy Sprit Catholic Church, 537 N.C. 16 N.

Perry couldn’t be reached before Denver Weekly’s press deadline.

The program revolves around Susan Miller’s book, “After the Boxes are Unpacked,” and serves local women who are going through life transitions, including divorce, a death in the family, a recent move or depression. Past group sessions have included women from their 20s to 90s.

“It’s an emotional, psychological, spiritual and practical program,” Malmstrom said. “We want these ladies to talk with one another and just open up. Whatever motivation, they have to want to meet new people and feel more assimilated into new surroundings.”

The weekly meetings, held each Thursday, include activities and reflection to help reinforce the book’s advice. Malmstrom, who serves as one of six group leaders, said the program had 23 signups for its inaugural spring 2011 session and 30 more in the fall.

The program’s third session begins Jan. 26, and Malmstrom said those wishing to participate should try to attend all 10 discussions.

“The first time we ran it, we weren’t sure how many people would actually sign up, but it worked out great,” Malmstrom said. “We’re just blown away by the number of people that have attended.”

Malmstrom has seen the effect of the previous two sessions. Both groups have gotten together to meeting for coffee, luncheons, Charlotte Bobcats basketball games and book clubs.

And Malmstrom is convinced the third session will produce more of the same.

“One lady in our first group had a heart attack, and some of the other group members got together and had some meals sent over to her,” she said. “We’ve been able to see it working in action, and it’s thrilling, truly.”

Participants can purchase Miller’s book for $10 but aren’t required to.

For more information, call Maureen Malmstrom at 704-489-0544 or Candy Perry at 704-489-1696.