Grief support groups begin at Wayne Memorial Hospital

A free support group designed to help people cope with the grieving process will be offered at Wayne Memorial Hospital (WMH). The four week session will focus on grief as a normal part of an individual’s transition through life. The sessions will be held on the second floor of the hospital on Tuesday evenings from 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. on October 18, October 25 and November 1, in the David Katz Conference Room and on November 8 in the adjacent Chatlos Conference Room.

“Grief is experienced by each individual very differently,” said Licensed Social Worker Anna M. Walsh, Wayne Memorial Home Health and Hospice. “There is no ‘right or wrong’ way to experience the process. Each person encounters the journey in different ways. Sharing the experience and the journey often helps us understand our own losses more clearly. It makes us aware we are not alone in our feelings.”

Acknowledging that grief is a very individual process, the grief support group will encourage participants to explore their own solutions to the challenges of living without their loved ones and dealing with the many changes that follow a loss. The group will provide a safe place in which those attending can sort out their feelings and share as they are able and willing. No one will be required to share. Attending all sessions may provide valuable insight and support; however it is understandable if you cannot be present for some sessions. You may enter or exit at any time.

The support group will be facilitated by Walsh and Pastor Susan Treanor, a former WMH Hospice and Hospital chaplain.

Participants are asked to complete a registration form by October 2, which can be found at www.wmh.org. For more information, email Walsh at walsha@wmh.org.