Support Groups In Support Groups

A description of a range of agencies which can offer support to people experiencing loss and grief

Grief is defined as a type of emotional or mental suffering from a loss, sorrow, or regret (Dictionary.com, LLC, 2010). Grief affects people of all ages, races, and sexes around the world. Approximately, 36% of the world’s population does or has suffered from grief and only a mere 10% of these people will seek out help (Theravive, 2009). Once a person is suffering from grief it is important to receive treatment. All too often, people ignore grief resulting in deep depression, substance abuse, and other disorders (Theravive, 2009). Grief counseling is very common and can be very helpful to a person in need of assistance. Grief counseling provides the support, understanding, and

Loss is a phenomenon that is experienced by all. Death is experienced by family members as a unique and elevated form of loss which is modulated by potent stages of grief. Inevitably, everyone will lose someone with whom they had a personal relationship and emotional connection and thus experience an aftermath that can generally be described as grief. Although bereavement, which is defined as a state of sorrow over the death or departure of a loved one, is a universal experience it varies widely across gender, age, and circumstance (definitions.net, 2015). Indeed the formalities and phases associated with bereavement have been recounted and theorized in literature for years. These philosophies are quite diverse but

I chose the GriefShare support group because as nurses we will need to help our patients and their families with the grief process when a loved one passes away. On March 29, 2014, I met Claudette St. John, the group leader, at 6:45pm at Northwest Christian Church in Acworth, GA. Rick Baldwin also attended the meeting. The group meets from 7-8:30pm. Claudette shared that she has been doing grief support classes for the past 20 years and the past 3 years she has been doing GriefShare at Northwest Christian. She lost her teenage daughter in a car accident 20 years ago. She expressed that there really are not any rules, other than just respecting each individual. She tasks herself with keeping the meetings on track and has a democratic leadership style. GriefShare is a Christian based program consisting of 13 weekly session. Participants do not need to attend all 13 sessions, the sessions can also be done individually. A workbook is given to those that are participating in the program. GriefShare’s goal is to help those experiencing grief, work through the process and recognize the different aspects of grief that they may encounter.

People going through grief often feel disorganized and have difficulty eating, sleeping or concentrating. Grief counselors ease the expression of emotion and thought about the loss and give insight to their feelings (Doka 1996). There are numerous reactions to grief, both good and bad. Behaviors that deal with grief positively are through art, writing, support groups or celebrations of the loved one. Some negative ways to deal with grief include feelings of anger, frustration, helplessness, depression and withdrawal from family and friends. A common yet self-destructive way to cope with loss is by turning to substances such as alcohol or drugs. This also requires counselors in order to help them get to the root of their problems.

I chose the group as an alternative to an addiction group that had a general idea similar to AA. When the group was canceled for the evening, I was offered to observe the 12Stone Care grief group as a second choice, held at the same time on November 16th. The 12Stone Care grief group provided valuable support to members and non-members of the church alike, and the sole requirement was to have lost a loved one. L.H., the widowed leader of the group, lost her husband to cancer ten years ago and started the semester-long grief group in 2013 in order to encourage others who are or have been in the grieving process (L.H., personal communication, November 16, 2015). Her goal in 12Stone Care is a “prayer is that [one] will find freedom from [their] struggles and healing in Christ” (12Stone Church,

Grief is a natural response to loss, usually associated with the loss of a loved one. Grief has an emotional response, but can also have physical, cognitive, behavioral, and social responses. Other examples of loss can be the loss of a spouse, family member, job, independence, pet, or physical loss of an object from theft. Grief is an important part of the healing process, and can be one of the most difficult times in a person's life. Human's grieve in a very unique way, but so do other species. Everyone grieves differently.

Psychoeducational groups emphasize, “using education methods to acquire information and develop related meaning and skills.” (Brown, 1997, p.1) This grief support group works as a psychoeducational group, through focusing on education and knowledge for healing and growth. In this group, members value knowledge as it further brings growth through their grief journey. The facilitator educates the group with thirty-minute videos made by grief experts to support the members in learning proper coping skills and processing certain aspects of their grief. The group also characterizes a psychoeducational group through providing emotional support with discussion before and after each video. During this short discussion time the group worked together, to help apply the skills to their lives and process topics discusses in the video.

You are cordially invited to a Trauma and Grief Support Group. This education and support group will provide materials and discussions on a variety of topics to assist individuals in their grieving process.

Grief is the act following the loss of a loved one. While grief and bereavement are normal occurrences, the grief process is a social construct of how someone should behave. The acceptable ways that people grieve change because of this construct. For a time it was not acceptable to grieve; today, however, it is seen as a necessary way to move on from death (Scheid, 2011).The grief process has been described as a multistage event, with each stage lasting for a suggested amount of time to be considered “normal” and reach resolution. The beginning stage of grief is the immediate shock, disbelief, and denial lasting from hours to weeks (Wambach, 1985). The middle stage is the acute mourning phase that can include somatic and emotional turmoil. This stage includes acknowledging the event and processing it on various levels, both mentally and physically. The final stage is a period of

Being able to have a support system is what helped me change my outlook on life. A lot of times people attempt to deal with their struggles alone, but I feel that perspective is what causes some to alienate themselves. In my experience, having the opportunity to talk with friends, family and a counselor allowed me to grieve properly. I was able to release all of my emotions and deal with them in a healthy manner. This also helped me gain a few friends who went through the same thing I did. This helped me to see that I am not the only one who experiences hardships.

New York State Office of Mental Health has put out a field manual on Grief Counseling within this guide I found a quote, “’So there is no way to apply systems, rules or emotional road maps. Our job is to be a presence, rather than a savior. A companion, rather than a leader. A friend, rather than a teacher.’ from John Welshons’s book entitled Awakening from Grief page 159” (Roy & Amyot, 2004). This quote encompasses everything I believe to be true about bereavement counselors. Through the act of companioning we do many things but two of the key ones are 1) actively listening to them and 2) helping them understand and recognize their reactions to this grief they’re experiencing. Furthermore, we must remember to provide those grieving with validation that what they are feeling is real and ok. It’s our role as

Grief groups will be led by two facilitators, at least one of which will be a trained therapist. All facilitators will undergo training at the center via a proprietary training program developed by the Executive Director. Facilitators will come from three sources:

Barrera said that research on social support has long ago created a distinction between received support, which is actual help, and perceived support, the belief that help would be available when needed. Norris said these support areas vary in two dimensions. The first dimension is reflected in the overall pattern of support application. The pattern’s framework being the family, then friends and co-workers, followed by formal agencies and other people outside the victims immediate circle. The second dimension distinguishes between emotional, informational, and tangible support (Norris and Pfefferbaum p.138). Received support increases in the aftermath of crises and protects against erosion of perceived support, which Norris and Kaniasty cite as a powerful protective factor for mental health. Norris goes on to say that received support is most helpful when there is a balance between receiving and providing support. Frequently receiving support can threaten self-esteem, and being too much on the providing side creates stress, which has a negative effect on community resilience. In our memorialization simulation, we did a great job in creating a balance between receiving support and

Support groups bring together people facing similar issues, whether that's illness, relationship problems or major life changes. Members of support groups often share experiences and advice. It can be helpful just getting to talk with other people who are in the same boat. While not everyone wants or needs support beyond that offered by family and friends, you may find it helpful to turn to others outside your immediate circle. A support group can help you cope better and feel less isolated as you make connections with others facing similar challenges. A support group shouldn't replace your standard medical care, but it can be a valuable resource to help you cope (Staff, 2013).