Grief support group offers help for those suffering loss
Dealing with the loss of someone you care about deeply is one of life’s biggest challenges. Sadly, it’s a life event that most people will experience during their lifetime.
Stillwater Hospice is offering a support group to help with the grieving process at the North Big Horn Senior Citizens Center on the first Monday of each month.
“Our intention with the grief group is to gather individuals at different stages in their grief and to help them with the grieving process,” said Chaplain Jayson Nicholson, one of the group’s leaders. “We facilitate the meeting but also draw on the wisdom of those who are gathered because they are the experts in their grief. People who have gone through this process can support others who are new to the process of grief and loss.”
The sessions are led by either a social worker or chaplain from Stillwater Hospice. The group is not affiliated with any religious denomination or faith group, and people do not have to be Stillwater Hospice clients to attend, explained Nicholson.
“Regardless of beliefs or non-beliefs all are welcomed to attend, if they are in grief,” he said.
The structure of the group is relatively informal.
“We try not to over-formalize or over-structure the group,” said Nicholson. “It’s an opportunity for those grieving the loss of a loved one to process their grief in a supportive environment. Sometimes we (the facilitators) will distribute literature from different authors about grief and discuss the reading material. Sometimes we do very little, because there are individuals in the group who are further along in their grieving who can provide that support. We provide structure and encouragement, but we don’t have a set format necessarily. We allow the individuals attending to set the agenda and allow this to be what they need it to be.”
Nicholson said the stages of grief don’t just happen after a death. Sometimes they are anticipatory and begin before a death occurs.
“It’s an ebb and flow where people go through different emotions and different ways of coping,” he explained. “Our hope is that we can help people to learn to cope with their grief. We don’t try to make it go away, because grief is there for a reason. We grieve because we loved, and we don’t want to take that away. We just want to help people cope with their grief in a way that doesn’t paralyze them.
“We draw on the wisdom of the group members attending, because everyone there has lost someone. Drawing on their wisdom and experience is helpful to individuals who are recent in their grief journey.”
Attendance is free and open to anyone grieving the loss of a loved one. The next meeting will be held at the senior center on Monday, Feb. 3, at 10 a.m. Community members of all ages are welcomed to attend this special support group, which usually meets for about an hour.
“This is just part of how we care for our community,” said Nicholson, who will be leading the upcoming session in Lovell. Stillwater Hospice also conducts grieving support groups in Powell, Greybull and Thermopolis.