Hospice of Light Hosts Free Grief Support Group

Everyone has experienced the loss of a friend or loved one at some point in their lives, but dealing with that grief can be difficult.

The Hospice of Light, part of the Singing River Health System (S.R.H.S.), sponsors a six week support group to help people better understand their feelings of loss. The death of a loved one is never easy, but a local support group is bringing people together to make the grieving process more manageable. Catherine Brochard, a former support group member, says, "And knowing that missing your loved ones is ok, and what you were going through, you’re not alone."

The Hospice of Light has a six week support group which meets at the Singing River Regional Cancer Center once a week to comfort those coping with the loss of a loved one. Eric Smith, chaplain for Singing River Hospice of Light, says, "Our desire is to gather a group of people who have experienced a similar loss, a loved one, because of a chronic illness, and there is so much support that they give one another within the group and we facilitate that."

While everyone grieves differently, most experience the five stages of grief in their own way. From denial to acceptance, where you not only realize it’s ok to miss your loved ones, but they would want you to live your life. Brochard also says, "I know my mom’s proud of me, my father-in-law, I know that he is with us every day. I feel him every day. He was such a big part of my life."

Grief is a complex emotion, so each week, the Hospice of Light has a different theme for each of their six bereavement support group meetings. Last week, they talked about what normal grief is, and Wednesday, they talked about their feeling of loss. Next week, they’ll tackle some of the myths and clichés of grief. Smith also says, "A lot of times folks don’t really know what to say, so they come up with a cliché, like ‘time heals all wounds,’ or ‘God must have needed him or her.’ Those are tough, but people don’t mean anything malicious."

The important thing to remember is when you think your loss has left you alone, you’re not far away from people who care. Brochard closes, "If anybody out there is going through anything and they need help, hospice is here. The bereavement class is wonderful and it’ll help you deal with things and go through life and get back on track."

If you would like to register for the support group, call (228) 818-2160. There is no charge to participate.