Navigating through grief after the death of a spouse is incredibly difficult, but you don’t have to go through the process alone. Starting Again is a peer-led grief support program for widows and widowers. We provide a forum where people can share their experiences with others who have gone through a similar loss. Discussions include dealing with grief issues, learning coping skills, and searching for answers together. Our goal is to help each person find hope, healing, and new beginnings in life.
Following a brief introduction, we break into 3 groups:
1. EARLY GRIEF
This group is for people who are in the early stages of their grief journey. In this group you are given an opportunity to tell your story, talk about your loved one and deal with early grief issues. People may express the overwhelming feelings that accompany loss: hopelessness, anger, guilt feelings and perhaps wondering “why me?” You should remain in the group for as long as you need to discuss grief issues that are focused on your loved one and his/her absence.
2. TRANSITIONS
This group is for people who have dealt with the overwhelming feelings that accompany loss and have learned how to deal with the pain. They are at a place of accepting that their life has drastically changed, but it is not over. The focus in this group is on the griever, not their spouse. You discuss topics that help you in transitioning from “We” to “Me”. One of the goals of this group is to learn how to adjust to this new way of life and let go of the past.
3. MOVING FORWARD
This group is for people who have accepted that their life has drastically changed, and they are ready to determine where they fit in the world. The focus in this group is on finding new beginnings, exploring new opportunities, setting goals, discovering how to meet new people, and establishing social connections which may include discussing dating and finding a new partner.