Group Therapy for Grief: Is it Right For You?
Everyone copes with grief and loss in their own way, and for some people, talking through their grief in a group setting can be helpful and leave them feeling relieved and heard, whereas for others, it can be stressful and do the opposite. It all depends on what helps you process your thoughts and feelings. With grief, no one coping mechanism works for everyone, and typically, you have to try different things out to figure out what works for you. Everyone copes differently, but talking to people who have gone through similar experiences can give you some insight into what works for them and what might work for you.
What is Group Therapy for Grief?
Group therapy for grief is a setting where you and others who have experienced similar losses come together to discuss your feelings and thoughts surrounding your grief. Group therapy can be as simple as sitting together and talking through things. Yet, something that makes group therapy a bit different than regular therapy is that you get to hear firsthand about other people's experiences and how they’re coping with them. And you can learn about different coping mechanisms from people who have actually used them and can give you their honest opinion of them, which can help narrow down what will and will not work for you.
Who Can Benefit Most From Group Therapy?
The people who can benefit the most from group therapy are those who might not be ready to talk about their own grief and situation. For someone who isn't ready to talk about what they’re going through, sometimes listening to others' struggles and grief can help give them the courage to process their own. Or even just hearing about someone's experience that may be similar to theirs and listening to the advice and discussion that follows can help them process some of what they went through.
How Group Therapy Helps in the Grieving Process
- Tips and Tricks
When you’re surrounded by people who have gone through similar experiences as you, you can oftentimes discuss how they’ve coped with their grief and what mechanisms have worked and what haven’t, along with getting advice about personal issues and tips about how to continue with your life after such a significant loss.
- Self Reflection
When you’re talking to a group of people who have gone through what you’re going through, you’re given multiple opportunities to talk about your thoughts and feelings, which can lead you to reflect on why you might be feeling this way and address any unexpected feelings that may occur. Having a group of people with whom you can discuss your thoughts and feelings can help you process them and provide clarity from a neutral perspective.
- Community
Being in a grief support group can help you remember that you’re not alone and that you have people who understand and care about you. This reassurance can be a lifeline to those struggling with grief and can remind them that it can and will get better.
How to Find the Right Grief Support Group for You
- Type a search
Sometimes finding the right grief support group can be as simple as googling “Group therapy near me” or “Grief support groups in my area,” and while this may not always lead you to the perfect group right away, it's a starting point. Just starting a search can help guide you through finding the right group by simply looking at websites and other resources that have been made for you.
- Facebook Groups
If you’re looking for a virtual grief share group or an established one in your area, searching on Facebook can be a good way to discover one. Especially if you’re looking for a more specific group, such as a grief share group comprised of only people who have experienced the same type of loss as you, like the loss of a friend, parent, grandparent, etc.
- Church Groups
Some churches, especially the larger ones, have grief share groups that meet to discuss and share their grief with people who share similar or the same religious beliefs. Sharing your grief with people of your belief system can help cope with any struggles of the afterlife and where they are now in a way that a nonreligious grief share group might not be able to.
Embracing the Healing Power of Shared Stories
When you go to group therapy, you’re reminded that you’re not alone in this feeling and that it can and will get better. Sometimes, seeing someone who has gone through what you’re going through can bring hope that one day you’ll get there too, or that you'll find a way forward. Sharing your experiences can bring hope to someone else. In a grief share group, you have the bonus of not only helping yourself but also helping others.
Continue to share memories and honor your loved one with Ecorial’s Memory Map and share their memorial with loved ones around the world.
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