Hi Everyone. Just wanted to share with you how my first session at a Bereavement Support Group yesterday was very beneficial. It felt good to be in a safe, welcoming, supportive and friendly environment along with other people on a bereavement and grief path. Patrick and Margaret, the two facilitators were lovely and put me at my ease as soon as I walked through the door and I found them caring and supportive and so easy to talk to. It was good to be with the others on the group and we were sharing, listening and helping and learning from each other. Because are all in the same boat, we felt empathy towards each other and of course it was all non judgmental because we all understand how we feel and how awful bereavement is. I picked up some helpful tips and advice from Patrick and Margaret and came away with other things to think about and focus on to help me. I found the whole session very positive and comforting. It was a relaxed and informal group and we even had a few laughs together! We had tea and biscuits and it was all free. I can highly recommend going to a support group and am looking forward to my next session. If anyone lives near Hadleigh in Suffolk, Patrick and Margaret said they would love to see you and welome you to the group. The meetings are held in the Library on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month. I am sure there are other similar groups in other areas too. Take care. Best wishes from Karen
Hi Karen
Just wanted to say i am really glad you found the group helpful my group is exactly the same just so comforting and you can say whatever you feel and no one judges you, like everyone on here.
Anyone thinking of attending a group please do give it a go i thought i would not like it but was so desperate i would have tried anything at the time. If after going its not for you then at least you have tried. But nothing beats talking to those who have lost loved ones and just understand the pain,emptiness and overwhelming sadness we feel.
Take care everyone
Carol x
Hi Carol and thanks for responding. Yes, it is good we have found our support groups and that it is helping us. As you said, it is worth giving it a go and if it doesn’t work than at least you have tried it. I did wonder if I would like it or not and would I come away feeling even worse but no, I felt it comforting and safe.I actually found it better than one to one counselling (which I had when mum died 9 years ago) where I felt pressure to have to keep talking all the time about things I didn’t necessarily want to. With the support group you can listen and join in when and if you want to. Even though it was my first session in the group, I wanted to join in as the others were so supportive and it felt good to share with everyone who are in the same boat and understand and not judge. Patrick and Margaret who are leading the group are lovely too.
I think in this bereaved state we have to try different things and some will work and some won’t but ‘trying things’ keeps us occupied. It is getting motivated that I find difficult at the moment though. When I lost mum, I had a good friend who had just got divorced so we both tried things together - dancing, choir, activity groups, evening classes. Trying things with someone else who was suffering loss (albeit different to my loss) was a great help and we supported each other. My friend then moved away. Then Dave came into my life and I was happy again. I had meaning and purpose to my life. I felt so blessed I had found my soulmate and companion and had someone to do things with all the time rather than ‘searching’. Now I am back to square one and have less support this time. Life is very cruel. Take care. Best wishes from Karen XX