• 2021 Guardians for Good Awards Celebration
  • 24-hour Crisis Hotline & Textline
  • 4th Annual Guardians for Good Awards Celebration – Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022
  • About Us
  • Agency Publications
  • Annual Report
  • Calendar
  • Community Connectedness Award
  • Community Resources
  • Contact Form
  • COVID19
  • Crisis Engagement Coordination Program
  • Crisis Services
  • Donate
  • Donate Now
  • Donations TEST
  • Donors
  • Employees Only
  • Employer Match
  • Enroll Your Kroger Card
  • Estate Planning
  • FAQs
  • Get Involved
  • Giving Guide
  • GSGConference
  • Guardians for Good
  • Guardians for Good Award
  • HelpLine 50
  • HelpLine Annual Meeting
  • HelpLine Brand Standards
  • HelpLine Recognizes National 2-1-1 Day, Encourages Use to Navigate Community, Social and Health Services
  • HelpLine WORKS: Consumer Stories
  • HelpLine50
  • Home
  • In This Together
  • Join Our Mailing List
  • Mail or In-Kind Donation
  • Mental Health Awareness Month
  • Mission & Values
  • Nomination Form
  • Online Directory
  • Other Ways to Give
  • Our Services
  • Prevention Programs
  • QPR
  • Recurring Donation
  • SAAM
  • SecondaryTraumaRetreat
  • SOC Registration
  • SOC Training
  • SOS Advocacy
  • Suicide Prevention
  • Suicide Prevention Walk
  • Support HelpLine
  • Support the Levy
  • Survivor Stories
  • Thank Goodness I’m Female (TGIF)
  • The Red Flag Campaign
  • Training
  • Training & Prevention
  • Volunteer
  • Why Call HelpLine – Gallery
  • Board of Directors
  • HelpLine Team
  • Sexual Assault Response Network (SARN)
  • 2-1-1/Information and Referral (I&R)
  • Careers
  • Connections Volunteer Center
We are the go-to for supporting and empowering change in our community.
facebook
rss
twitter
youtube
email
  • Home
  • In Crisis? Need Help?
  • About Us
    • HelpLine Team
    • Careers
    • Agency Publications
    • HelpLine WORKS: Consumer Stories
    • Guardians for Good
      • Guardians for Good Award
    • HelpLine Brand Standards
  • Our Services
    • Crisis Services
      • 24-hour Crisis Hotline & Textline
      • Suicide Prevention – GET HELP
      • Crisis Engagement Coordination Program
      • Survivors of Suicide (SOS) Advocacy
      • Sexual Assault Response Network (SARN)
    • Community Resources
      • 2-1-1/Information & Referral
      • Online Directory
      • Connections Volunteer Center
    • Training & Prevention
      • Suicide Prevention
      • Violence Prevention
  • Volunteer
  • News
    • News
    • HelpLine Blog
    • Calendar
  • Contact Us
  • DONATE
    • Guardians for Good
      • Guardians for Good Award

Inaugural Suicide Support Group Encourages Hope, Healing

December 05, 2017
by HelpLine of Delaware and Morrow, Counties, Inc.
0 Comment

The first Survivors of Suicide Loss Support Group (SOSL), led by co-facilitators, Michelle Price, HelpLine Suicide Prevention Program Manager, and Kathy Wellman, recently concluded in early November with a holiday retreat.  This 12-week intensive support group takes participants on a journey through their own personal grief to better understand and integrate their loss into their lives.

Each week, participants read a chapter from a provided text about different parts of grief after suicide loss. The group also discusses accepting their loss, the uniqueness of their experience with grief, and seeking integration—not resolution. Grief after suicide is unique because survivors are left with questions of “why?”, and many of those questions may never be answered.

Expressing grief after a suicide loss can be difficult for some due to attitudes people still hold about suicide. This stigma surrounding suicide is felt by survivors, and it can cause them to hold their grief inside or try to move on too quickly. But the truth is, a suicide loss is not something to “get over.” This type of loss will be with someone forever.

All Survivors in this SOSL group had experienced a loss within the past year to 2 years. When they began, they were looking for things like: a safe place to talk about their experiences, ways to cope with their grief and the pain of their loss, and encouragement and support from other survivors.

At the conclusion of the SOSL group, participants reported having their original needs met, and then some. One survivor, Beth P., said, “Going through the 12-week book study with friends in the same journey allowed me to process and reflect on many aspects of the grieving journey that I probably would not have done alone. It was a good way to reflect, analyze and work toward healing.”

“It was very helpful in addressing about every aspect of grief recovery, even many that I hadn’t considered. This did help me process more of my loss and help me get past some of it and improve my control of strong emotions,” said SOSL participant, Mike R.

Concluding with the holiday retreat provided survivors with ways to cope with the hectic pace that the season often brings along with ways to honor their loved one.  Through the group, co-facilitator Price learned that many survivors want to talk about their loved one that they lost to suicide. So many people turn away when they hear someone died by suicide.

“Although it is painful at times, those that have been lost to suicide were still loved and cared for by those left behind. It may bring tears sometimes, but many survivors I have met want to talk about the person they lost. It reminds them that their loved one is not forgotten,” she said.  

The next SOSL Support Group will begin in the spring of 2018. This is a closed group and requires meeting with the facilitator before joining. For more information or to join, please contact Michelle Price at mprice@helplinedelmor.org or 1-800-684-2324.  

Tweet
Pin It
About the Author
Social Share

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

*
*

 

Connect Online

Need to talk? In crisis?

Call 740.369.3316 or 419.947.2520 or 1.800.684.2324, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to talk with a LIVE information and support specialist.
NEW! Text "helpline" to 898211 for help via text.*

Need Resources or Information? Call 2-1-1 or 800.684.2324 or search our free online database CLICK HERE TO SEARCH NOW!

*Standard msg & data rates may apply.Text STOP to opt-out. For end user privacy terms and conditions of texting with 898211, go to: www.preventionpaystext.com/policies. Powered by PreventionPays Text.

Search our site


Training & Events

Click to see training opportunities and upcoming events!

We want your feedback!

Complete a quick online Customer Service Satisfaction (CSS) survey HERE

Connecting our community…

The mission of HelpLine is connecting people to support, information & resources.Read about the work we do in our 2020 Annual Report - CLICK HERE
READ MORE FROM THE HELPLINE BLOG - CLICK HERE

Our Partners

  • sp logo
  • DCHA
  • Unitedway DelCo
  • Print
  • DSPC
  • Delaware County Foundation
  • AIRSAccLogo02
  • Women’s Fund of Central Ohio Logo – White Bckgrnd
©2021 HelpLine - All rights reserved.
24/7 LIVE Crisis Hotline: 740.369.3316 or 419.947.2520 or 1.800.684.2324