Local grief support groups Lafayette, La

This is something that you do not have to do alone! There are many support groups that can help you on your grief journey. In Lafayette, La there is a number of grief support groups offering bereavement care and comfort. Some even offer individual counseling services to help people cope with the emotional, mental and physical responses to loss. Grief support groups can help to normalize the grief process during this period. There is a wide range of emotions that grief brings about… people often think they will not make it through their grief, but this is a normal emotion and anything you will feel during the process is okay. Going to support groups often normalizes the grief process and helps people feel that what they are experiencing is hard, expected and may be easier when sharing with a group of people experiencing the same thing. Not every bereaved person needs the additional support of a group outside their circle of friends and family. For instance, anticipatory deaths can generally be less devastating than unexpected deaths. While the loss is still very sad, the fact that it was expected prepares you somewhat for it. Grief support groups cover a wide range of topics by sharing personal stories, asking and answering questions about memorialization and identifying healthy and unhealthy coping mechanisms. Depending on the type of death the topics can be different. For instance, members who lost their loved ones to suicide or overdose have to first learn how to process the trauma before they are able to deal with grief. A child can also join a support group when a parent or guardian identifies unhealthy coping skills or regressive behaviors. For example, the child may be acting out in school or wetting the bed at home. When this happens, the parents may think about enrolling their child in a grief support group. Grief support groups have a number of areas in their bereavement center that cater to children and teens.

What can you expect during the grief support group?

A place for establishing relationships with others to decrease the isolation that grief brings.

A safe and secure environment where you can tell your story and express your feelings freely, knowing that others will be understanding, supportive and non-judgmental.

A forum for understanding common myths about typical grief and grief patterns.

Grief Support Groups have a community that validates and normalizes your emotional reactions.

A place for learning about grief and the number of various ways to grieve, all of which are acceptable and natural.

A resource for gathering articles, reading lists and poetry on the many aspects of grief. Discussions of articles can serve as a springboard for identifying important meanings in one's own loss and learning from examples of how other people also have faced their losses.

A place to learn new coping skills, relaxation techniques, stress management skills and daily survival skills that others in the group have found effective and tough. The chance for members to help each other brings strength, confidence and a brand new sense of value and purpose.

A chance for personal writing and journaling that promotes self-examination and encourages exploration of a number of aspects over time. It is healthy to re-examine the loss at different times in the life cycle as young, middle age or older adulthood, to recognize self-change and growth and feel good about these changes.

A sounding board where members can present ongoing or new concerns, reports on progress or challenges and safely come back for help when they experience setbacks or backslides in their grief journeys.

If you are living in Lafayette, La then this article is for you. Here is a list of grief support groups that are located in Lafayette, La:

Healing House -

They believe with all their hearts that no child should ever have to grieve alone and that is the reason they have created a safe place where grieving children find the support, comfort and understanding to help them along their challenging and emotional grief journey. To put it simply, they are available to help them heal. Healing House is a non-profit agency helping children ages 4 to 17 who are anticipating or have experienced the death of a loved one or a family member. They provide a welcoming and comfortable group atmosphere where kids can express their feelings and thoughts, they can do so in the company of other children who are going through the same experience. They believe that sharing their feelings, stories and memories can be a powerful way to help grieving children heal. They offer support groups and programs facilitated by caring volunteers who are passionate about helping others. Healing House is focused on children but they also have programs for young adults, caregivers and parents of grieving children. All services are offered free of cost under the direction of a mental health professional and facilitated by trained volunteers.

Contact Number- +1 337 -234-0443

Address- 160 S Beadle Road, Lafayette, LA 70508, U.S

Maddie's Footprints -

Maddie's Footprints was established in 2010 in memory of Madeline Noelle McGrew. The vision of Maddie's Footprints is to help families who have experienced stillbirths, miscarriages and the loss of their infant. They help lead these families in the right direction when they need information and counseling. They also offer these families financial assistance for end-of-life expenses or medical expenses that can be overwhelming during their tough times. They also help to bury babies who have died as a result of abuse and neglect.

Contact Number- +1 337-534-4209

Address- 234 Rue Beauregard, Lafayette, LA 70508, U.S

Hospice of Acadiana, Inc. -

Hospice care in the United States began as a grassroots movement to offer care at home for terminally ill patients. It is a common misconception that hospice is a crisis service for the last few days of life. In fact, hospice care is intended for patients with a terminal illness or condition and a life expectancy of 6 months or less. The perception is that by electing hospice, the patient is giving up and that end of life is imminent. Although, the full benefit of hospice services comes along before the end of life.

Contact Number- +1 337-232-1234

Address- 2600 Johnston St Suite 200, Lafayette, LA 70503, U.S

Diocese of Lafayette -

Their mission involves the total restoration of humanity and the salvation of the whole person. Their response to this mission finds expression in programs that promote healing and unity in every aspect of the human person. Like Jesus, they sell to express solidarity with the poor and the pressed, striving all the while to remove from ourselves and Church structures whatever promotes injustice, inequality and oppression. The Roman Catholic Church of the Diocese of Lafayette acknowledges Jesus as Lord and finds in His person and mission their truest identity. Obedient to the prompting of the Spirit, they acknowledge His life and ministry. His dying and rising as profound expressions of the Father's constant love for all people. They faithfully join Him as ministers in His kingdom.

Contact Number- +1 337-261-5500

Address- 1408 Carmel Dr, Lafayette, LA 70501, U.S

Asbury United Methodist Griefshare -

GriefShare is a warm, caring support group for people who have experienced the death of a loved one. Our next 13-week program begins Sunday, August 15, 2021 at 3:30pm and will be held in person on the Asbury campus. By participating in GriefShare you will benefit from weekly videos containing helpful information on grief-related topics, a workbook providing additional resources, and the healing power of a small group experience. These three components work together to help you recover from the deep pain of loss.

Contact Number: 337.984.4211

Address: 101 Live Oak Blvd, Lafayette, La

Grief Recovery Center -

The Grief Recovery Center (GRCBR) is a safe and healing space for any individual who is suffering from loss, trauma, grief and any other mental health struggle that affects their daily life. They offer low-cost individual and family counseling, free drop-in support groups, educational workshops, memorial services and community events. The services are for all ages people. The donor-funded program offers grants to clients on a sliding scale. Financial support from donors and partnering organizations allows the center to offer a number of grief support services at little or no cost, honoring the vision that their founder, Sister Rita Coco, built nearly 30 years ago. The mission of the Grief Recovery Center is to compassionately assist those who experiencing grief, loss and trauma through counseling support and education.

Contact Number- +1 225-924-6621

Address- 4939 Jamestown Ave #101, Baton Rouge, LA 70808, U.S.

How to choose a grief support group?

Grief support groups come in a number of shapes and sizes. Group participants may express a desire for narrowly defines groups where everyone has had the same type of loss such as spouse, child, sibling or parent. Comfort levels may be increased if the loss is similar, but this is not a prerequisite for a successful group. The similarity of loss is a common denominator and learning comes from sharing among various age groups and various perspectives. A traumatic loss like the loss of a child or suicide generally is better served in groups where all members share the same type of loss. Age separation like a group of young widows or one of the widowers from an older spouse is important because a number of issues they face are affected by where they are in the life cycle. A grief support group provides various qualities of support and a connection that comes from being with people who have also recently experienced a loss or trauma. Grief support groups offer emotional support, education and validation about grief.