|
| |
There Is Support...
When you lose someone you love, you will probably feel a variety
of emotions. Sometimes the intensity of these emotions can be surprising,
and they may subside after a period of time only to resurface again. This
is very normal.
Grief is a process of making the fact of loss real. It
takes time. People experience this process differently, but feelings of
anger, loneliness and despair are a normal part of the process. The time
it takes to work through grief is also different for everyone. No two
people react or respond in the exact same way.
Chronic grief, grief which continues for months and never seems
to improve, can be a problem if it interferes significantly with your ability to
function each day. You may wish to seek help from a clergyperson or mental
health professional.
It's normal for some days to be better than others.
Birthdays, anniversaries and holidays may present an unexpected reminder,
triggering a flood of emotion. You may think that you should be past these
feelings, but don't judge yourself too harshly.
Special group seminars on these subjects and organizations that
help with counseling and support are available. The groups listed here are
willing and able to help, at no charge.
General Information and
Referral
For Friends & Family
-
Grief Partners - a support group for those who have
had a death of a family member or friend. The group offers information
about the experience of grief. It also offers the opportunity
to share and receive support to help with the healing process. The
seven week group meets at various times throughout the calendar year.
Groups are open to new participants at the first or second meeting each
seven week session. The groups are sponsored by Vince Lombardi Cancer
Clinic. There is no cost to participants for the group. For more
information or for a schedule of groups, contact Sue Grasse, CSW, (920) 458-4314 or (800)
686-4314, or Pat Buehler, CAPSW, 451-5494.
-
Experienced Grief - St. Nicholas Hospital offers an
opportunity for people who have experienced the loss of a family member or
friend to come together for conversation, sharing, and support. This
open group meets the third Thursday of the month at 10 a.m.
Pre-registration is not necessary. Further information can be
obtained by contacting Spiritual Development at St. Nicholas Hospital
459-8300.
For Parents
-
R.T.S. Bereavement Services - a support program for
parents experiencing a pregnancy loss through miscarriage, ectopic
pregnancy, stillbirth, or newborn death. Contact: Program
Director, Donna Mayer, BSN, 451-5495 or Aurora Sheboygan Memorial Medical
Center Community Education Department, 451-5000.
-
Compassionate Friends - a self-help support group
offering friendship and understanding for parents of any age who have
experienced the death of a child. Meetings are held the second Monday
of the month at 7 p.m., United Way building, 2020 Erie Avenue, Sheboygan.
Contact: Mental Health Association, 458-3951.
-
SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) - Contact a local
pediatrician or Infant Death Center of Wisconsin, 9000 West Wisconsin
Avenue, P.O. Box 1997 Milwaukee, WI 53201. Call: (414)
266-2743.
For Children
-
Rainbow Kids - a peer support group for children and
youth, ages 4-18, who have experienced a significant loss in their family
unit due to death, divorce, separation, or abandonment. 14-week
sessions are held several times throughout the year. Contact:
Rainbow Kids at 452-2838.
-
Climbing the Mountain of Grief - Children often
experience grief differently than adults. We recognize that each
child's and each family's bereavement situation is unique. This group
has been established to help children follow their own natural grieving
patterns in interaction with peers and trained support personnel. All
children who have experienced a loss of a loved one through death are
invited to participate. Support groups are comprised of children of
different ages, and age-appropriate activities are provided.
Children's groups are formed on an "as needed" basis. Contact:
St. Nicholas Hospital Home Health & Hospice, 457-5770.
-
Project Youth - offers free support to youth who have
lost a family member through death. Support is provided by a therapist
experienced in grief work with adolescents who helps teens grieve the loss
of a family member and move forward in their lives. Contact:
Project Youth, 706 North 9th Street, Sheboygan, 458-8381 or 458-7100.
Suicide Loss
-
Suicide Loss Support Group - a free and confidential
self-help group for adults who have experienced the suicide death of a loved
one. It is a unique opportunity to share with others who are dealing
with similar grief. The group meets the last Monday of each month, 7 -
9 p.m. at the United Way building, 2020 Erie Avenue, Sheboygan.
Contact: Mental Health Association, 458-3951.
|
