Grief is complicated.
"It is not just loss of love. It is also regret, anger, and frustration,” said Michelle Meyer, a licensed clinical social worker. “Giving yourself permission to feel those from start to end is important. We compartmentalize so we can function, but we need to feel an emotion all the way through so we get relief at the end.”
Meyer is leading a new Marcus Daly Hospice bereavement support group[ focused on grief support, beginning Jan. 16. She'll use Dr. Alan Wolfelt’s book “Understanding Your Grief” as part of the course.
“I feel lucky to accompany people on their journey of illness, passing, and the bereavement stages,” Meyer said. “We follow our families for 13 months with mailings, phone calls, and one of the most beautiful things is a rose delivery after a month.”
The six weeks of classes are free, confidential, and focused.
“This is a great way for people to learn skills,” Meyer said. “Part of the curriculum talks about self-care and how essential those pieces are.”
Exercise, healthy eating, getting enough sleep, fresh air and sunshine are essential elements in healing, as is supportive contact with others.
The class will acknowledge the grief cycle and how people experience grief differently. Members of the group will be asked to keep a journal.
“It makes this more successful if they are invested in this outside the classroom and really processing the information,” Meyer said. “At the end, you’ll have a body of work you can look at and say ‘Okay, when I’m feeling low these are the things that help me.’ Self-care is essential to healing and we really want to help them identify those things.”
Meyer said the bereavement group in the hospital is a safe setting that is geared toward growth and support for grieving community members.
“We are your community,” she said.
Interested participants must register in advance. The class size is limited to 10, but a second class will follow in six-weeks. Members will receive a book, journal, guidance, and encouragement.
“Folks will be asked to read a couple of chapters in the book, reflect in their journal, and bring the conversation back next week,” Meyer said. “People can share their experience and be validated.”
Beyond the bereavement group, people are welcome to talk to hospice staff.
Meyers has had 16 years of social work experience in schools, correction centers, and private practice. Her degree in social work is from the University of Montana and she started her career at Watson Children’s Shelter. She has worked with all ages, from pediatrics to seniors.
The free and confidential Bereavement Support Group meets from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Tuesdays from Jan. 16 to Feb. 20. To learn more or register, call Marcus Daly Hospice at 363-6503.