Buried in Treasures” Facilitated Support Groups Begin in February and March

Is clutter affecting you at home, at work or in your relationships? Do you need help dealing with compulsive acquiring, saving and hoarding? OCES, along with the Greater Brockton Area Hoarding Task Force (GBAH) is offering “Buried in Treasures” – a series of facilitated support groups in Brockton and Plymouth for individuals with hoarding issues.

Hoarding is when individuals continue to accumulate items, such as clothing, newspapers and food, and then have persistent difficulty discarding possessions. Individuals with hoarding behaviors often face health issues related to falls, as well as run the risk of losing their homes.

“Buried in Treasures” support groups are free and will be offered weekly at the following locations:

In Brockton at South Bay Community Services, 103 Commercial Street, February 6 to May 22, 2018, (with two breaks and a final session on June 19) from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. For more information or to register for the Brockton support group, contact Amanda Lee 508-436-4438 or Kelly Mules at 508-580-4691.

In Plymouth, at the Center for Active Living (formerly the Plymouth Council On Aging), located at 44 Nook Road, March 6 to June 19, 2018 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. For more information or to register for the Plymouth support group, speak with Deana Andrade at OCES, 508-584-1561 ext. 232.

“Buried in Treasures” is available to people of all ages throughout greater Plymouth county and surrounding communities. There is no cost to attend these confidential support groups. All attendees will receive a complimentary workbook. Space is limited and pre-registration is required.

“Buried in Treasures is an educational, judgment-free, self-help group for people with hoarding issues,” explained Teresa Kourtz, OCES’ Protective Services Director. “During each session, individuals work through what might be clutter and what might be hoarding, utilizing the workbook to deal with acquisition, discarding, and disorganization.”

“Buried in Treasures” is sponsored by the GBAH, MassHousing and OCES. It is coordinated and facilitated by OCES in partnership with South Bay Community Services.