Are you grieving the loss of a loved one? Talking with others about your feelings and learning tips on how to cope with your grief can help.
Riverwood Healthcare Center is hosting a 6-week Grief support group on Thursday evenings, March 15 through April 26. The group will not meet on April 5 due to the Easter week holiday. The group will meet from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. at Riverwood’s hospital conference room B, 200 Bunker Hill Drive in Aitkin.
Three women with experience in bereavement counseling and support —Judy Anakkala, Mary Ann Kult and Betty Thompson—will act as group facilitators, presenting the weekly topics and guiding discussion. Each week, the facilitators will cover specific topics on healthy grieving and how to cope.
Past participants have commented that the group helps in learning how to cope with the intense pain and feeling of loss when someone close to you dies.
One past participant commented: “Good intentioned people rush to tell the newly bereaved how to feel or why terrible things have happened. These people feel better as a result but the bereaved carry an added burden. They feel a tacit pressure not to disappoint the well-wisher. They may feel the opposite of what is being pressed on them but are afraid to say so. Expressing the full range of raw feelings that assaults you when a loved one dies is a huge relief. However, this must happen in a confidential, safe setting. The chance to be authentic, to state bluntly how bad it is, to others in the same situation is healing.”
“Each person’s grief journey is unique and each may need different things from the group,” said Mary Ann Kult. “So come to join in sharing your experiences or come just to listen and learn from others. All are welcome.”
Pre-registration for the support group is requested. To register, contact Val Thompson, Riverwood social worker, at (218) 927-5524. Assistance may be available for transportation; inquire if needed.
