The Klatch

More about the Caregiver's Klatch

Who can participate in the Caregiver Klatch?

Anyone, 18 & older currently caring for a loved one facing a health crisis.
If you have lost your loved one to their health crisis please join us for the Sequel Makers Klatch.

When is the Caregiver Klatch?

First Thursday of each month from 5:30 - 7:00pm

Where is the Caregiver Klatch held?

The Caregiver Klatch takes place in a private room at:
Urban Growler
2325 Endicott St
St Paul, MN 55114

Virtual Caregiver Klatch

As part of our goal to support Caregivers across the U.S. and Canada, we have launched our Virtual Klatch for all active Caregivers. This version of the Klatch brings the support to you, no matter where you call home.

The Virtual Klatch takes place on the last Thursday of each month. After you register, you will be sent a Zoom link to join. We look forward to seeing you there!

The Klatch concept is not your ordinary education or support group. A welcoming environment provides the backdrop for skilled peer facilitators to guide guests through a structured dialogue around caregiver issues, decided upon by the group. Offering nourishment, drinks, and comradery, Klatch participants are sure to gain validation, helpful advice, a sense of belonging, and restoration

- Alicia Cain, Virginia Piper Cancer Center

Sequel Makers Klatch

Sequel Makers Klatch is a coed discussion group focused on learning, sharing, and exploring the ways we think, feel and act as we navigate our grief.

Making your sequel

Even though you probably really, really, really loved the original first movie, It’s okay to hope and pray that your sequel will be as good or better than the first. You could be creating The Empire Strikes Back, Maverick, or Godfather II (but hopefully NOT The Godfather III). While your sequel may take place in a similar setting, it has a new plot. And although some of the supporting characters are new, you are still the lead role, continuing your story.

You may have tough questions that need answers

“How do I help my friends or kids through grieving when I’m still grieving myself?”
“How do I possibly keep one foot in my original story and the other in this new sequel I’m making?”
“What do I do now that the meal train and well-wishers have moved on with their busy lives?”
“Should I feel guilty about dating again?”
“How does dating even work these days?”

Jack's is here for Sequel Makers

You need a different kind of guidance from Jack’s and can benefit from community with other Sequel Makers. At Jack’s, our mission is to improve how guys think, feel, and act through every phase of their caregiving journey, including the part of your journey beyond caregiving.

More about the Sequel Makers Klatch

Who can participate in the Sequel Makers Klatch?

Anyone, 18 & older, who has lost their loved one to a health crisis.

When is the Sequel Maker Klatch?

Third Wednesday of the month. 5:30 pm - 7:00pm

Where is the Sequel Makers Klatches held?

The Sequel Makers Klatch takes place in a private room at
Urban Growler
2325 Endicott St
St Paul, MN 55114

My wife Alison succumbed to colorectal cancer after nearly 7 years of ‘living with cancer’. But I wasn’t alone in my transition -- several other members joined our “alumni” group, including my good friend, Joe who came to my house the day after Alison passed away to pay his respects and to support me however possible. He lost his wife a couple weeks later. That’s the world we live in, as caregivers -- and it is during this time that Jack’s Caregiver Coalition stands the tallest.

- Jack's Sequel Maker

The Klatch Process

Brainstorm
What do You need to talk about this week? Write it on a giant Post-It note. You can write several Post-It notes if you have a lot on your mind!
Pitch!
Now, everyone sticks their ideas on the wall and explains each in 1-2 sentences.
Prioritize
You get three tallies to vote with. You can put them all on your favorite topic or divvy them up as you choose. Everyone does this. Just go to the wall and mark your tallies on the Post-It notes with the ideas you like. The topics with the most votes get talked about first.
Manage the conversation flow
A timer will let us know when we have talked about a topic for 8 minutes. Then we vote to see if we still want to discuss it some more or, if we are ready, move on to the next idea.
Takeaways
In the last 15 minutes, we will reflect on some of the key takeaways from the discussions.

All of this is done over good food and drinks with other people on a similar journey as you are.

Our Facilitator, Dan Cramer

Dan is a husband, brother, dog dad, caregiver (metastatic breast cancer since July 2018 and counting), diehard Chicago Cubs fan, competitive backgammon player, avid cook, reader, movie buff, wine lover, and St. Paul resident. He and his wife blog about their cancer journey together at https://meaningandstuff.com/.

Caregiver Klatch