Grief & Loss Support

Here for you and your family

Community Hospice & Palliative Care offers grief and loss services for those who have experienced the death of a loved one and who may need support or guidance in dealing with their sorrow. Grief services available include: individual and family counseling (including children and teens), therapeutic grief support groups, understanding grief - a program for the newly bereaved, annual candlelight service of remembrance, and a program to cope with grief during the holidays.

Understanding grief, loss and bereavement

Grief is a natural reaction to loss and can affect every part of our lives — physically, mentally, emotionally and socially. Grief reactions range from anger, guilt and anxiety to changes in appetite or behavior.

It’s best not to think of grief as a series of stages. Instead, think of the grieving process as a roller coaster — full of ups and downs, highs and lows. Understanding what is "normal" in grief gives us the knowledge that others have gone through this process and have found healing.

Common reactions include:

Physical sensations: hunger, nausea, and breathlessness

Behaviors: sleep and appetite disturbances, crying, and social withdrawal

Feelings: sadness, loneliness, increased irritability, guilt, fear and relief

Thoughts: disbelief, confusion, obsessive thinking about the deceased

Spiritual reactions: embracing religious rituals or questioning of faith

Adapted from Grief Counseling and Grief Therapy: A Handbook for the Mental Health Practitioner, second edition, by William Worden (1991).

Answers to Your Questions

What is Anticipatory Grief?
What is Anticipatory Grief?

Caregivers and patients may exhibit grief reactions to a death, even if that death has not yet occurred. These are normal reactions to loss and may help you prepare for the emotional intensity of grief after the death has occurred.

Anticipatory grief takes many forms, most often fears about actual or possible losses. These may include fears of:
- Living life without your loved one
- Breakdown of family structure
- A new beginning — taking a road not traveled
- Losing your social life
- Losing companionship
- Losing independence
- Losing control
What are the symptoms of anticipatory grief?
What are the symptoms of anticipatory grief?

There are many symptoms of anticipatory grief, some of which are listed below. How many of these have you experienced since you became a caregiver or seriously ill?
- Tearfulness
- Constant changes in emotions
- Depression
- Emotional numbness
- Poor concentration
- Forgetfulness or poor memory
- Loneliness
- Denial
- Acceptance
- Fatigue
How can I make the grief journey easier?
How can I make the grief journey easier?

When experiencing anticipatory grief, there are many ways to smooth the road you are traveling.
- Go for short walks
- Keep a journal
- Plan for the future
- Seek spiritual assistance
- Talk to someone, such as a friend, family member, clergy, or Community Hospice & Palliative Care representative
- Make changes only as needed, and put off major decisions
- Do things you want to do now
- Spend time with loved ones
- Call your physician if the physical symptoms of grief become overwhelming
- Join a caregiver support group

Grief Services

If you or someone you know has experienced the death of a loved one, the support of others can play an invaluable role in the healing process. All Community Hospice & Palliative Care bereavement services are free of charge to hospice families for up to 13 months after a loved one’s death. Select services are also offered to the community free of charge.

Counseling

Individual and Family Counseling

Community Hospice & Palliative Care bereavement counselors provide individual, family and children's counseling to help those who have experienced the death of a loved one and who may need support or guidance in dealing with the grief associated with that loss.
Group Counseling

Group Counseling

Support groups provide a safe place to explore and express your grief in a comfortable setting, and bond with others who have experienced loss.

We offer daytime and evening therapeutic grief support. Groups are led by our professional grief counselors and meet on the same day/night of the week.
Understanding Grief

Understanding Grief

A program for the newly bereaved designed to help identify common grief reactions and to learn ways to heal after the death of a loved one.

This free workshop provides grief education and emotional support within a safe, secure environment.

Visit our Events page to view the latest Understanding Grief Sessions
Children

Children

Grieving the loss of a loved one is difficult, especially for a child. Bereavement counselors provide individual and family counseling to help children who have experienced the death of a sibling, parent, grandparent, friend or other loved one and who may need support or guidance in dealing with the grief.
Camp Healing Powers®

Camp Healing Powers®

A therapeutic camp where children can express their feelings about the loss of a loved one in a supportive environment and learn coping skills to help them navigate their grief journey.

The overnight camp allows children, ages 7 to 17, the opportunity to meet and bond with other campers experiencing a similar loss.

Learn more
Holiday Grief Support
Holiday Grief Support

Hope for the Holidays is a workshop for families, friends and caregivers who have experienced the death of a loved one to help them reflect on their loss and learn coping skills.

Candlelight Service of Remembrance is an annual ceremony held to celebrate and honor the memory of loved ones who have died.

Here are some great tools to help you cope with the loss of a loved one during the holidays:
- Holiday job list
- Ideas for holiday rituals