supporting you on this journey...
...grief support
Grief is a normal, natural response to the loss of someone or something important. It is unique to the person experiencing it and is as individual as the relationship that brought it about. Because of this uniqueness and individuality, there is no set timetable for how a person goes through the process. Likewise, what is helpful for some people may not be helpful for others.
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Types of Grief
We listen. We support. We care...
Grief comes at different points along the journey of loss, but the primary points are the period that begins at diagnosis and the period that begins at the death of a loved one. From the point of diagnosis to death, there are two types of grief: preparatory and anticipatory.
Preparatory Grief is experienced by the person who is ill as they grieve the loss of their health, independence, and the shortened time they will have with others.
Anticipatory Grief is experienced by family and friends as they struggle with thoughts and feelings surrounding the impending loss of their loved one. In the hospice and palliative care settings, these losses are typically processed with social workers and/or chaplains who are specifically trained to deal with these experiences.
Once death has occurred, feelings, thoughts, physical reactions, and other aspects of grief can make adjustment difficult, and carrying out basic activities may seem harder. Family, friends, and other people you know and trust may have difficulty sharing in your grief or they may be struggling with the loss themselves. That’s when the grief care services of VIA Health Partners can be so important. We listen. We support. We care. It is our goal to provide grief care services that address individual needs and situations, because everyone experiences grief in their own way, and on their own timetable.
Call us at 833.839.1113 for more information.
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How we help
Grief is a process that takes time...
We offer the following services through our Grief Support Program:
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Programs for all age groups - children, older teens, adults, and senior adults
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Short-term individual counseling, including referrals for more intensive therapy when appropriate
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Support groups (both on-going and time-limited) that are educational and supportive in nature
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Educational, one-session workshops for those who want to learn more about coping with their grief
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Chameleon's Journey, an overnight grief camp for children ages 7 - 17
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Workplace grief services including Critical Incident Stress Management
Grief has a direct impact on many aspects of an individual’s life, including job performance, personal relationships, and other aspects of well-being. Grief is a process that is not completed in a finite period of time. Therefore, VIA Health Partners extends support to family members and other loved ones both before and after death.
Call us at 833.839.1113 for more information.
More resources:
VIA Health Partners Service Area >>
VIA Health Partners Office Locations >>
Chameleon's Journey Grief Camp Website >>
Chameleon's Journey Upcoming Events >>
Counseling
A safe environment...
Our staff of professional counselors has a wide range of experience in grief counseling. All hold professional licenses and/or certifications and have degrees covering social work, counseling, and divinity. Counseling for adults, children and teens is available throughout our 38-county service area.
Our grief counselors create a safe environment for individuals who are adjusting to a significant loss. If you have survived the loss of a loved one, we can help you discover, or rediscover, inner resources that will promote healing and help you define a meaningful future.
Individual counseling. . .
Talking one-on-one with a grief counselor helps to make sense of the grief process. The way in which a person grieves is unique to that person. Having a grief counselor to help you work through your emotions and thoughts about your loved one, share your memories, and discuss adjustments to life is healthy; it helps you recognize that what you are going through, though painful, is a natural life experience.
We employ a beneficial perspective that is based on the following principles:
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Pain and loss are a natural part of life and grieving is a healthy way of taking care of ourselves.
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Grieving persons have the right and responsibility to grieve in their own way, to interpret their loss, to make choices that are right for them, and to determine the quality and direction for their lives.
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Everyone is respected and encouraged to honor their diverse values and traditions.
Call us at 833.839.1113 for more information.
More resources:
VIA Health Partners Service Area >>
VIA Health Partners Office Locations >>
Support Groups
Structured Grief Support Groups
Grief: The Reluctant Journey is a structured grief support group that meets for a defined length of time, usually 6 – 8 weeks. The support group allows group members a safe environment to experience empathetic support and a place where social isolation and feelings of loneliness are diminished. Groups specific to spousal/partner loss, adult parent loss, adult child loss, young widow/widower, mature widower loss, and child loss may also be offered. A pre-group interview with a grief counselor is required for members of structured grief groups. Please contact us for more information.
"In Good Company" Monthly Drop-ins
If you are interested in a more relaxed, informal group setting, come to one of our "In Good Company" support groups. We offer camaraderie and an opportunity to check in with a grief counselor (and others) to share the highs and lows common to the experience of people who are grieving. We have groups that meet monthly throughout our service area. Please contact us for more information.
In School Grief Groups
School personnel are encouraged to contact us with requests for in-school grief support groups. Groups are offered at school during regular school hours over a period of several sessions.
Call us at 833.839.1113 for more information.
More resources:
VIA Health Partners Service Area >>
VIA Health Partners Office Locations >>
Community Services
Supporting the Community
Acknowledging that grief is difficult for everyone, regardless of the circumstance, VIA Health Partners offers grief care to everyone in the communities we serve. In other words, we not only care for the family members of patients under our care, but we will offer our services free of charge to anyone who is struggling with loss. Any individual in our service area may sign up for our grief support groups or workshops, or contact a counselor for additional assistance.
Memorial Services
Remembering those we love and have passed away is an important part of individual and family identity. Attending a memorial service is healing, connects the present with the past, and continues the bond of a loving relationship. Each year, family survivors and community members receive invitations for our Light Up a Life interfaith memorial services held throughout our 38-county service area. Check our calendar of events for dates and times.
Call us at 833.839.1113 for more information.
More resources:
VIA Health Partners Service Area >>
VIA Health Partners Office Locations >>
Chameleon's Journey Grief Camp Website >>
Grief Resources
Bereavement Bulletins
We offer multiple resources for individuals struggling with loss. Each year, we publish four newsletters (Bereavement Bulletins) that touch on various grief topics and offer tips and advice to families mourning the loss of a loved one.
Call us at 833.839.1113 for more information.
More resources:
Online Youth Grief Resources >>