COPING AFTER PERSONAL LOSS (Date is tentative)

After a spouse or close friend passes away, life changes dramatically for an individual. In the first year of bereavement you are riding an emotional rollercoaster. Energy and emotions fluctuate. Feelings of shock, numbness, anxiety, despair - even anger - come and go. Pangs of grief swell unpredictably. Just getting through the day can be a challenge. As the years progress, grief remains sticky. Memories of the deceased continue. We don't push them away, but learn to live with them, often happily.

This group bereavement session offers a chance for individuals who have experienced spousal or friend loss to exchange their grief stories. The group will be limited to 10 individuals. It will be moderated by Philip Jessop, a new member of our group, who lost his wife Pegi, four years ago. He was trained by Bereaved Families of Ontario ( BFO ) and has co-led 8-week spousal loss group sessions within this organization over the past 3 years. Please note - this is NOT psychological therapy. We only exchange our group grief experiences and by doing so hopefully feel less alone.
You can say as little or as much as you want. No pressure. Do bring a photo or memento to this session that reminds you of the person you lost.
Thank you Philip for volunteering to host this event and the narrative above. We are sincerely grateful. A very warm thank you to Jim for your continued support and suggestions.