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Continue reading →: The Power of Lists: Shared Bucket Lists to Build Hope
There are seasons in every prison relationship where conversation feels heavy. The day-to-day updates start to sound the same. Calls run short. Letters get delayed. And even though the love is still there, it can start to feel like all you’re doing is waiting. That’s where lists come in. It…
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Continue reading →: Celebrating Milestones: Non-traditional Anniversaries Behind BarsTime does not move the same way when someone you love is incarcerated. Anniversaries arrive without the familiar rituals. Birthdays pass without candles or cake. Wins feel quiet. Achievements happen in the shadow of walls and gates. Still, there is meaning. Still, there is something to celebrate. Because love does…
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Continue reading →: How to Take Meaningful Prison Visit Photos (Without Breaking Rules)
For many families with incarcerated loved ones, prison visits are the most cherished hours of the month. They are planned for, waited on, and held onto tightly. In those few hours, hands are held, stories are exchanged, and for a moment, it feels like the outside and inside aren’t quite…
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Continue reading →: Supporting Mental Health from Outside: Resources & HotlinesIt is no secret that incarceration takes a toll on mental health. But what is often overlooked is the emotional weight carried by those on the outside—partners, parents, siblings, and children—who are left to support their loved ones while managing their own fear, frustration, and grief. For many families, it…
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Continue reading →: Part 2: 30-Day Guided Journal Project for Couples (Connecting Through Writing)Maintaining a deep connection with your partner during incarceration can be challenging, but shared journaling offers a creative way to bridge the distance. This 30-day guided journal project is designed for couples to work on in parallel: both partners respond to the same daily prompt separately in their own journals or letters, without exchanging…
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Continue reading →: 30-Day Journaling Challenges for Prison Wives and CouplesHaving a loved one incarcerated is an emotional rollercoaster for both partners. Feelings of anger, grief, shame, and loneliness are common for prison wives and it’s crucial to find healthy outlets for these emotions. One highly recommended coping tool is journaling – writing down your thoughts and feelings in a…
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Continue reading →: Self-Care Kit: Building a Monthly Resilience Box for YouWhen you’re in a relationship with someone who is incarcerated, life doesn’t pause—but your emotional needs can sometimes get buried under the weight of holding everything together. Between managing daily responsibilities, staying connected to your partner, and navigating the complex emotions that come with distance, it’s easy to forget that youdeserve…
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Continue reading →: Family Care: Tips for Co-Parenting Without Full-Time PresenceIntroduction: Co-parenting is challenging under the best circumstances, and it can feel especially daunting when one parent is incarcerated. Yet millions of families share this experience, and it’s important to remember you are not alone in navigating it. In fact, an estimated 5 million children in the U.S. have had a parent…
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Continue reading →: Advocacy Mail: How to Write to Legislators for ReformThere’s a kind of helplessness that creeps in when someone you love is incarcerated and the system around them seems built to resist change. You watch policies stall, bills fail, and reforms take years to materialize. It is easy to believe that nothing you do will make a difference. But…
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Continue reading →: Book Club Behind Bars: Starting a Prison + Supporter Reading CircleBooks have a way of bridging distance. A single story, read in two different places, can become a shared experience that cuts through separation and offers something new to talk about, think through, or hold onto together. For couples, families, or friends navigating incarceration, starting a prison-inclusive book club might…
Welcome!
This is Chapters and Chains
Welcome to Chapters and Chains – I created this site for those looking for a way to connect with a loved one who is incarcerated and who are navigating the complex correctional systems across the United States.
Find out more about us in this LWW Podcast .
Here you will find ways to connect through reading and books with your loved one, information on how to put parole packets together, resources for reintegration and helpful planning documents. All resources are and will always be free or low-cost.
However, if you would like to say “Thank you!” you can donate below or at $ChaptersNChains
You can also purchase “Beyond the Walls: A Couples Communication Guidebook” that helps fund this site and the work that we do!
Chapters and Chains 