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You are here : Programs/Services » Center for Grief and Loss	Thursday, May 15, 2008

Bereavement Support Schedule

The Center for Grief and Loss

Grieving the death of a loved one can be a painful and lonely experience. It can change our world by altering our relationships with others, and our own sense of identity. Our daily habits are disrupted, activities associated with specific roles are lost, and life plans are derailed in the wake of significant loss. Frequently, it is difficult for us to know if the feelings and reactions we are experiencing are normal ones.

Our society encourages us to “get over it and get on with life.” This leads to further pain and isolation. Grief is the natural response to profound loss and is the expression of the strong bond you had with the person who died. No two people grieve in exactly the same way. The way we express our grief is influenced by many things, such as:

the circumstances of the death
the relationship with the deceased
one’s culture, religion and personal beliefs
how we have dealt with previous losses

Grief, the natural response to a loss, is actually a whole array of feelings that deserve attention and care. Some normal grief responses include:

Physical Responses

Tightness in the throat
Heaviness in the chest
Changes in appetite
Fatigue
Altered sleep patterns

Mental Responses

Forgetfulness
Difficulty concentrating
Difficulty believing the death occurred
Inability to complete previously simple tasks

Emotional Responses

Depression
Guilt
Anger
Sense of abandonment
Mood swings
Shock or numbness

Other Common Responses

Expecting the loved one to call
Sensing the loved one’s presence, seeing him or hearing her voice
Intense preoccupation with the deceased or how he or she died

The period of grieving is a natural part of the process of healing after a loss. Healing is possible when we allow ourselves to identify and understand our feelings as they arise. Participating in grief education classes and individual or group counseling can:

enhance the healing process.
reduce the sense of isolation
provide the opportunity to share experiences, thoughts and feelings
with others who are in similar situations
lead to personal growth.

Some other ways to aid healing

Visit your physician to make sure physical symptoms do not indicate an illness.
Get plenty of rest. Nap if you aren’t sleeping well at night.
Spend time out of doors.
Exercise. Take a daily walk or go for a short bike ride.
Try to establish a daily routine.
Eat a nourishing diet and drink plenty of water.
Drink alcoholic beverages in moderation.
Use prescribed sleeping aides or other medications only as prescribed.
Give voice to your feelings.
Talk to people who give you permission to have your thoughts and feelings without judging you.
Write about your experience.
Write to your loved one.
Give yourself permission to not participate in social activities if you do not feel like it.
Ask for help.
Participate in support groups or grief education classes.

OUR SERVICES

FOR OUR HOSPICE FAMILIES:

Informational Mailings: Information about the grief process, and invitations to our support groups and classes, is sent to bereaved families and friends for a year following the death of their loved one.

Volunteer Bereavement Counselors: Caring men and women that volunteer for our agency participate in an intensive training program. This training prepares them to provide education about the grief process and to listen carefully to the people they visit in person or by phone. Our volunteers are available to offer their support on a regular basis for one year following the death of your loved one.

Counseling: Professional counselors are available for individual or family sessions, which provide personalized support and education. Referrals to other professionals in the community are available as needed.

Commemorative Service: Each year, in November, we host the Evening of Remembrance, a special candle-lit ceremony at which family and friends gather to celebrate the lives of loved ones. The evening offers companionship and comfort as guests visit wiht one another and with our staff members who cared for them and their loved ones.

OPEN TO THE COMMUNITY:

The power of group support can help to transform the pain of loss into growth, healing, and inspiration for the future. With the support and assistance of the group facilitator, members can develop a sense of ease and acceptance in daily living while they learn to live with loss.

Support Groups: Groups, which meet once a week for eight weeks, are available throughout the year and are open to anyone. Each group is lead by trained, experienced professionals who specialize in understanding and managing grief. These groups provide comfort and information that will help to assure you that you are progressing normally and that your pain will ease. There are groups for:

Widow and Widowers
Adults Who Have Lost a Parent

Classes: Grief education classes are held to provide information about the normal grieving process and to present effective coping strategies for dealing with grief and loss. Currently, we are offering classes in:

Understanding Grief
Coping with the Holidays

Please check the schedule to choose a group or class, and then call (925) 887-5678, or email donnapa@hospiceeastbay.org to register.

Footsteps Program

Children and teens grieve deeply but often express themselves in ways that are not easily understood by adults or by themselves. FOOTSTEPS is a program of counseling and support for grieving children/teens and their parents or caregivers. It is open to anyone in the community.

Children ages 7-18 meet in age-appropriate groups once a week for six weeks. Creative art exercises, story telling, and many other activities offer opportunities for the children to identify and share their feelings. In another room, parents or other caregivers meet for the same activities. At the end of each meeting, adults and children have similar experiences to share. This serves as a basis for meaningful communication and support of one another.

FOOTSTEPS helps parents to understand how their children grieve and how they can help them to recognize and voice their feelings. Both children and adults benefit from the support of the professional counselor/group leader and from group members who have experienced similar loss.

Highlights of the six-week series:

Age-appropriate counseling and a variety of expressive arts activities
The adult group offers strategies for parents to assist their children as they deal with grief.
An atmosphere of trust , safety, and acceptance is created so that adults and children can do the work of mourning
Healthy coping strategies are defined
Professional, experienced facilitators work with the children and adults
A licensed mental health professional oversees the program

Please check the Footsteps group schedule, then call (925) 887-5678, or email to Donna (donnapa@hospiceeastbay.org) to register. Suggested donation is $100 for the 6-week program. However, no one is turned away because they cannot pay.