“No one told me grief would be this painful,” commented a woman who lost her husband of 33 years. When a loved one dies, your world is shattered. It is a painful experience and a part of you dies. Overcoming this pain takes a tremendous amount of courage and may be one of the hardest things you will ever have to do.
A grief support group is a time-tested method that can lessen the feeling of isolation by surrounding you with others who understand what you are going through. There is an instant bond between grieving persons. Overtime you will feel comfortable around the group members which may lead to new friendships with those who have experienced your same grief. The group setting allows participants to be intimate in their conversations which can lead to a sense of reconnection with the world. As time goes on, your feelings will be validated and feelings such as guilt or anxiety will lessen.
There is no time table for grief – we grieve in our own way and in our own time. The human body has built-in ways of processing and healing grief – grief is nature’s way of healing a broken heart. Let time, tears and reflection with others do the work of mending for you.
If you or someone you know could benefit from a grief support group please join Covenant Hospice each Thursday, March 27 through May 1, 2008 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Wakulla Library located at 4330 Crawfordville Highway. The group will be led by Elizabeth Robinson, MSW, Bereavement Specialist for Covenant Hospice. For more information, call 850-575-4998.
This article originally published on March 22, 2008.