Many grieving people wonder if they would benefit from joining a support group. Support groups are a time-tested method of help for people struggling with all sorts of difficulties. But groups are not magic; there are no words that can be uttered within a group setting that can make grief disappear.
Groups are places to work together to support one another; they are places where everyone gives and takes. Not everyone will find a support group suitable; each individual grieves in his or her own way. For many, however, support groups have much to offer, such as:
Validation: Grief is experienced in so many ways — physical, emotional, and spiritual. One needs a place to recognize that these reactions are part of the journey of grief. Being with other grieving people can reaffirm that one is not going crazy. While every loss is unique, through support groups one can bask in the support of others who have experienced loss and understand.
Time away: For many people, a support group can be a break from the loneliness and the boredom that often come with grief.
Suggestions for coping: There is no single solution to dealing with loss but members of a support group can offer a range of alternatives. By listening to stories of how others cope with a particular problem, one can find the solution that might work best.
Support groups offer two other gifts: they provide hope by providing models that reaffirm that one can survive loss; and participating in a support group can also help the griever find new empathy, new understandings, and renewed strengths.
The Joseph T. Quinlan Bereavement Center, located on 5 Plains Road in Augusta, holds group support meetings the first and third Wednesday of each month from 12:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. and from 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. on the second Monday of each month. Group support groups are also held at our satellite locations on 214 Washington Street, in Hackettstown monthly on the third Tuesday from 10:00 a.m. – 11:3 a.m. and at the United Methodist Church on Ann Street in Milford PA on the fourth Tuesday from 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
All support groups are open to not only those who have used hospice services, but also to anyone in the community whom is suffering the loss of a loved one. For more information on all the programs that are offered at the Joseph T. Quinlan Bereavement Center please call 973-948-2283 or visit KarenAnnQuinlanHospice.org.
I have a friend who is going through a rough time, she recently lost someone close to her and I would love to be able to help her out in some way. A grief support group sounds like it would be a wonderful idea for her. A support group would give her that opportunity to be that break, I think she needs, from her daily routine. Thanks for the information! I will have to see if she is willing to give a group a try.