Bereavement Support Group FAQ
How often do support groups occur?
Our daytime and evening support groups meet once a week for 8 weeks, with each session lasting 1.5 hours. We ask that all participants make a commitment to try and attend every session. The groups are open to anyone over the age of 18 who has experienced the death of a loved one. We offer several groups per year.
Click here to view our calendar of support groups.
How large are the support groups, and do I have to speak?
Our support groups are limited to no more than twelve participants. Group members are not pressured to talk, and each person’s grieving style is respected.
What about confidentiality?
Our bereavement support groups provide a confidential and non-judgmental place to speak what is in your heart. All participants are asked to respect the privacy of others and keep all that is shared confidential.
How might I benefit from joining a bereavement support group?
Each person’s grief is unique and profoundly personal. A grieving person can often feel lonely and isolated even in the midst of loving family and friends who are often unable to understand fully the multiple dimensions of grief, despite their good intentions. Those not experiencing grief suffer to watch us suffer, and would prefer that we quickly return to “normal” – that is, the way we were before our loved one died.
Bereavement support groups offer a safe place to mourn – to share your grief with others who have also experienced the death of a loved one and, therefore, understand your struggle. Groups also offer a way to learn coping skills for successfully managing life as you begin to adjust to your loss. Through sharing and listening to others, you can feel less alone and more supported. Participants report feeling comforted by the group process, especially when they hear someone express a particular feeling that they have also help, but have been afraid of unable to voice.
How much do your bereavement services cost?
All bereavement services are offered to the community at no cost, made possible through grants and the generosity of gifts made to Hospice of Southern Maine.
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