If you have suffered a devastating loss due to…
- Death
- Divorce
- Break Up
- Separation or other estrangement
- Loss of a pet
- Or any other life change
You might be wondering where to turn for help. I can relate to that situation.
Grief Recovery: Turning Tragedy to Triumph
After the death of our daughter, my wife and I did not know what to do or who to turn to. Fortunately for us, a couple we knew of did. They had been through a similar loss a few years before us, and they reached out to offer their help.
Their journey had started out kind of rough, though. They had joined and attended support groups for bereaved parents; they had read books, and had tried counseling. These things did not help them, nor did they take away the pain.
Then someone told them about something called a Grief Recovery Method* Support Group. They attended and participated in the program, and found they were able to move beyond the pain of their loss. They were able to communicate better with each other, and experience the full range of human emotions again.
Their sharing their story with us led to our learning the Grief Recovery Method® for ourselves with similar results. Following that experience, I also wanted to bring relief from grief to others. So, I trained in the Grief Recovery Method in 2009 and have been helping and teaching groups and individuals ever since. I can help you as well.
Know the Warning Signs…
Not all losses affect us to the same extent. But when loss becomes painful, it is important to know what to do about it.
Unresolved grief can look like:
- Fond memories turning painful
- Preoccupation with hopes, dreams, and expectations that never got to happen, robbing you of happiness in the present moment
- Diminished concentration and focus
- Avoiding people for fear of what they are going to say that will bring back the pain, or increase your loneliness
- You find yourself telling people you feel “fine” when you don’t
If the things you have done and the advice you’ve been given up till now have not made your life better, then the Grief Recovery Method programs likely have the answers you’re looking for.
Choose which path to recovery suits you...
When you participate in the Grief Recovery Method One on One Program with me, I will help you identify the tools you have been using to deal with loss, and identify what has not been helpful. I will explain the actions that, when you take them, will help you discover what is incomplete for you in relation to the loss most affecting your life. I will guide and support you as you let go of the pain that blocks fond memories. I will encourage you as you say good-by to any unmet hopes, dreams and expectations you have for the future.
People will sometimes tell me “I am already seeing a therapist” when I tell them about this program. Often people who have been in counseling or psychotherapy find that they get unstuck after participating in this program, and that it actually supports that work. I will be happy to work with other professionals and explain the program to them so you can experience recovery sooner.
The Grief Recovery Method Grief Support Group is different from traditional support groups in which one learns to live with the pain of loss. In this support group, you will learn the actions needed to recover from the pain of loss. Along with it being an educational group, and not counseling, it differs from other grief and bereavement support groups in that it is…
- Open to all grievers (not limited to specific type of loss)
- A closed group after the second session, rather than a drop-in style group
- Based on weekly reading and writing assignments that are essential to recovery from loss, and
- Time-limited; the program lasts 8 to 9 meetings (one 2-hour weekly meeting, or two 2-hour meetings per week for 4 weeks)
Groups are scheduled periodically throughout the year at my office. See the bottom of this page to find out about the next scheduled group, or contact me to discuss the possibility of organizing an additional group for you (e.g., a church, school, or other group).
If you would like to schedule a group for your organization, or would like to set up a partnership with me for your organization (ideal for funeral homes, hospitals, and hospice care), I will be more than happy to work with you to identify how I can best meet your needs.
(*) The Grief Recover Method is featured in The Grief Recovery Handbook, 20th Anniversary Expanded Edition: The Action Program for Moving Beyond Death, Divorce, and Other Losses—Including Health, Career and Faith, by John W. James and Russell Friedman.