~ Grief Support Group ~

2016 Program – Healing Haven

Whether your loss is recent or long-standing, commit to six Mondays…

  • Gain understanding
  • Share insight
  • Find hope
  • Initiate healing of the heart

In your own time, at your own pace, in your own way… learn how to be an active participant as you set your intention

to heal and begin reconciling and integrating your loss.

  Please contact us by phone: 563.652.0123 or email: office@jchospice.org if you or someone close to you could benefit from our next group session.  We will contact you personally to let you know when we have another session scheduled.

 

~ Grief Education ~

Hospice of Jackson County has recently added ongoing group support services to our bereavement program.  When scheduled, we meet weekly at 4pm in our Hospice of Jackson County Conference Room at 611 W. Quarry Street.  Call if you have questions or to reserve your space in the group.

Children’s grief is unique, and Hospice of Jackson County can help you navigate this journey with your child.  Workshops can be conducted in the privacy of your home or arranged to be held in our office. We have brochures available to help adult caregivers know how to talk to their children about grief and how to help children with the dying/funeral process.

The Challenges of Loss:

SHOCK:
Numbness, the feeling of not quite believing the loss is real. Temporarily “forgetting” the loss.

PROTEST:
Often this is anger but can be continued denial and refusal to accept the reality. It brings the risk of taking quick, inappropriate action.

DISORGANIZATION:
Acceptance of the reality of what has happened can bring a retreat to less mature behavior, and we may feel more needy and dependent. Concentration is disrupted while memory suffers, and this makes routine tasks of daily living difficult.

REORGANIZATION:
Eventually acceptance come, and life slowly returns to normal, but its is a new normal and may require a long period of adjustment.

 

The Importance of Ritual:

When we lose a loved one our world suddenly becomes chaotic. Our emotions are up and down. Our family roles and sometimes our physical surroundings are changing and becoming rearranged. This chaotic feeling is normal and will eventually give way to a more peaceful and normal feeling. In the meantime, grief rituals can play an important part in feeling a sense of control in our lives. Whether it is a weekly visit to the cemetery, a daily prayer, or a yearly remembrance of your loved one, finding a ritual that helps you to heal can be extremely beneficial in this uncertain time.

Journaling your Feelings:

When we lose someone close to us, often it feels as if the emotional tidal wave will never end. We can feel as if we will never feel “good” or “normal” again. Rest assured that you will find a new “normal” and you will smile again. It may be helpful to track your feelings on a calendar, personal planner, or a journal. This process of rating and tracking your feelings from day to day can help you through the cycle of grief and help you to see the progress you have made over time.