Mind & mood
Stress, anxiety, grief, gratitude, emotional resilience
A Wellness Group for 65+ Adults
Growing older is not the end of the story.
Empowering minds. Nurturing connections. Embracing what’s next.
11 – 17participants at typical community sessions
75–90 min.of guided learning, reflection & connection
Whole-personemotional, social, cognitive & spiritual wellness
More than an activity. A place to belong.
Older adults deserve spaces that see more than their age.
The Next Chapter · Pittsburgh brings preventive, strengths-based wellness education directly into senior living communities in and around Pittsburgh, PA.
Each session blends useful information with guided conversation, reflection, practical tools, and the simple power of hearing, “I’ve felt that too.” Residents do not sit through a lecture. They tell stories, learn from one another, laugh, think, and leave with something meaningful to carry into daily life.
“Lisa had such a great understanding of our residents’ needs. She provided an open conversation and perspective into aging topics most don’t consider.”
– Recreation Director, Northland Heights
A curriculum as multidimensional as life
Conversations that meet residents where they are.
The growing curriculum includes Life Transitions, Importance of Community & Belonging, Honoring Grief, Healthy Boundaries with Adult Children, Managing Stress, Anxiety & Worry, Purpose & Legacy, Journaling, Utilizing Technology, Art of Decluttering, Seasonal Wellness, Spirituality, Lifelong Learning, and many more.
Purpose & identity
Life transitions, self-esteem, legacy, advocacy
Connection
Friendship, belonging, family boundaries, relationship repair
Brain & body
Cognitive vitality, sleep, routines, healthy aging
Creativity & growth
Art, music, journaling, technology, lifelong learning
Everyday life
Downsizing, decluttering, chronic pain, adapting to change
For executive directors & life enrichment leaders
A richer calendar. A more connected community.
Your residents need more than entertainment. They need experiences that affirm who they are, help them navigate change, and make it easier to connect with one another.
- Thoughtful, ready-to-run programming for your activity calendar
- A warm, discussion-led format that invites real participation
- Practical handouts residents can revisit and share with family
- A strengths-based approach that complements clinical and care services
From one group to a growing local program
What began in 2025 as a senior self-care group became something more: a distinct wellness program shaped by resident voices, consistent attendance, and requests for more.
SEP ’25A new strengths-based curriculum begins
SPRING ’26Programming expands into additional communities
TODAYNew topics and partnerships continue to grow
“Residents were engaged and openly shared their life stories. They clearly enjoyed the group.”
– Residential Services Coordinator, Lutheran Senior Life
For sons, daughters & people who care deeply
You want more than “they’re doing fine.”
You want to know your parent has reasons to look forward to the week – and people who will notice when they walk into the room.
The Next Chapter · Pittsburgh gives residents a welcoming place to talk about the things that matter: friendships, grief, family relationships, changing roles, purpose, health, humor, and hope. It is not group therapy. It is thoughtful, counselor-informed wellness education that makes room for real life.
Is your parent’s community looking for meaningful programming?
Share TheNextChapterPgh.com with their Executive Director or Life Enrichment Team.
Special groups for family caregivers
Caring for someone you love can take a toll.
Caregiving can be meaningful – and still be exhausting. Coordinating care, making difficult decisions, managing changing family roles, and worrying about a loved one can leave caregivers emotionally depleted, physically tired, isolated, or guilty for needing a break.
Inquire about a Caregiver Stress group1 in 5
U.S. adults provides regular care to a friend or family member with a health condition or disability.
13 of 19
health indicators measured by the CDC were less favorable for caregivers than noncaregivers in 2021–2022.
Special groups can offer practical stress-management tools, healthy boundary strategies, shared understanding, and permission to care for the caregiver too. Programs can be tailored for resident families, community caregiver networks, or staff who also carry caregiving roles.
Background: CDC caregiver health findings and National Institute on Aging caregiver guidance.The approach
Evidence-informed. Human-centered.
Actual sessions pair clear, research-informed education with reflection prompts, practical exercises, and resources residents can use after the conversation ends.
Learn
Clear psychoeducation makes complex wellness topics useful and approachable.
Reflect
Questions and handouts help residents connect the topic to their own lives.
Connect
Facilitated discussion turns shared experience into belonging and mutual support.
Practice
Residents leave with realistic strategies they can use beyond the session.
Built on whole-person wellness principles and later-life development – not a deficit view of aging. The program complements, but does not replace, individual mental health or medical care.
Meet the facilitator
Lisa Corbett Thurber, M.S.
Lisa holds a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from La Roche University. She brings a rare blend of clinical training and over 35 years of real-world experience guiding people – many of them older adults – through life’s biggest transitions. Her experience with individuals, couples, and families ranging in age from 8 to 87 gives her a rich, hands-on understanding of the emotional needs of every generation, especially seniors navigating change.
Lisa is the architect of The Next Chapter Group, a group for adults 65+ centered on supporting mental health, psychoeducation, and holistic well-being across the lifespan. Through research and hands-on experience during her advocacy work, she recognized the value of offering seniors a healthy outlet to connect, reflect, learn, and continue gaining tools for meaningful living.
Prior to her counseling career, Lisa spent four decades building trust-based relationships in high-stakes, emotional environments: as a multi-million-dollar real estate producer helping families through downsizing and relocation, a consultant to large banks and financial institutions, and the founder of a 20-year small business built on integrity, values, and care. That same steady, empathetic presence – along with active listening, patience, compassion, and clear communication under pressure – is what she brings to every Next Chapter Group session.
Lisa meets each participant with warmth, professionalism, and a genuine belief that every chapter of life holds room for growth.
The next conversation starts here
Let’s create a program your residents keep talking about.
Serving independent and assisted living communities in the greater Pittsburgh area.
Invite The Next Chapter · Pittsburghlisacthurber@gmail.com · 412-660-7167 · TheNextChapterPgh.com