A new support group for adults grieving the loss of a loved one will soon start at Delta Hospice.
Accredited music therapist Kristen Morrow is launching a bereavement self-care group to support grieving adults in exploring and implementing self-care practices.
The group is split into two sessions of an hour each. The first hour is educational where participants are given resources and strategies to help with better self-care habits. The second hour is an experiential guided relaxation. This portion allows participants to begin immediately incorporating a self-care activity into their weekly routine.
“I first had the thought of starting a bereavement self-care group at Delta Hospice after I experienced the death of my close aunt in January 2017,” said Morrow. “At the time, I felt like I was drowning in grief. I couldn’t begin to picture what my family was going to look like without her bright, bubbly personality.
“Even having worked in bereavement care for years, I was unprepared for how forcibly the loss impacted my life. It is common knowledge that grief can cause feelings of intense sadness, but not everyone realizes how much it can affect the rest of your physical, mental, social and emotional health.”
She said after the death of her aunt, everything became harder - getting out of bed in the morning, eating, sleeping, making time for friends, etc.
“It just so happened that at the time of my aunt’s death, I was halfway through an online self-care course offered through UBC. The course shared information about the importance of proper self-care, along with strategies for how to improve these habits,” she said.
“The information proved vital to me in a time when my grief was overwhelming my ability to take care of myself. I began to realize what an amazing resource it would be to have a group specifically focus on self-care and bereavement. It seemed to me that at the time when we most need to take care of ourselves, it is often the most difficult to do so.”
The group runs Thursday nights from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. for six weeks from Oct. 25 to Nov. 29.
Those interested in this free program can contact Morrow at 604-948-0660 ext. 311 or email [email protected].
Delta Hospice is located at 4631 Clarence Taylor Cres. in Ladner.
