Bereavement Support Groups

Bereavement support groups are one of the most popular and effective ways to help grieving individuals cope with the loss of a loved one.
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Over the last thirty years there has been a proliferation of such groups. While excellent group facilitators do not have to be licensed mental health clinicians, this role requires sound knowledge of the bereavement process and the skills to lead a group. Too many untrained indivuals are leading groups which are resulting in poorly run groups which may be doing more harm than good.

This book seeks to define what a bereavement support group is, the qualities that leaders should have, review the bereavement process, the steps to start and screen for a group, creating a safe environment which promotes group interaction and cohesion, and an outline of the meetings in a ten-week support group. Readers are introduced to a wealth of activities and strategies to address the needs of the grieving indivdual within the context of a group. A review of effective group management skills is also emphasized. The nuances of different groups such as closed structure group as opposed to open ongoing groups are discussed. Specialized groups that deal with traumatic grief such as survivors of suicide and child loss groups are explored. Additional topics include the impact of death on the family and how adolescents grieve.
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This book is written for caregivers who want to help the bereaved through support groups. It presents a leadership model based on current models of grief, and training on how to facilitate a successful support group..

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