1. Privacy will be afforded and respected.  No one will probe beyond freely offered information.  All shared information will be kept confidential. 

2. Religion maybe expressed but we will be careful not to impose our convictions upon each other 

3. We may cry alone or together, always mindful that our purpose is to re-channel our emotions to a more positive than negative direction.  We will not, however, judge each other on how we handle grief. 

4. Family and friends are welcome to come and to take part in our meetings if they are also experiencing grief and are open to positive support. 

5. Through our occasional “Speakers Meetings,” we intend the program to be educational. 

6. H.O.P.E. is not a therapy group, but an extension of warmth, kindness, understanding, and insight into the feelings experienced by bereaved parents at a time of deep sorrow and its lingering effects.