……. Grief. None of us will escape going through it. Grief is different for everyone, and yet it is similar in many ways. I believe the more you know about grief, the better you can handle it. I also believe having the support of those who have experienced it or are experiencing it is critical.
……When Bill died, I attended a Grief Support Group for a while in Weirton. It was sponsored by the Nazarene Church and though it was helpful, I was looking for a non-secular group.
,,,,,,,So as a result, I have am on a mission to bring a non-secular, grief support group that would meet once a week to the northern end of Hancock County. I think a good location would be the Hancock County Senior Center and I’ve talked to the director and plan to ask their Board if they would be willing to give us the space to meet weekly.
…….The next step would be finding a facilitator with credentials in grief counseling. This is where I need your help. Your collective tentacles reach much further than mine do and you may know of someone who fits the bill and would be interested.
……I am contacting the Dept. of Aging to find out if there are grants or funds to pay for a counselor. Hometown News will donate the marketing material to let people know about the program and, of course, word of mouth is the best marketing ever,
……Prior to experiencing my husband’s death, I had not heard of a grief support group. Once I attended a session, I felt like I had been drowning in grief and someone threw me a lifeline. I was not alone in the feelings I was experiencing. While some widows retreat, my nature was to do the opposite so I pushed myself back out in the world. I thought I was crazy when I found myself experiencing a panic attack when I started into the grocery store and ended up abandoning my cart, ran back to the car and retreated into the safety of the house. As others in the group shared similar stories, I thought I might be alright and my sanity was not in question.
……If you want to get involved in helping or have a suggestion, please call me at 304-564-7154 or 304-919-3464 or e-mail me at [email protected]..
…….This is a needed service in our communities. Help me make it a reality!
