Grief is painful. Ultimately, there is no way around it, only through it. Our hospice bereavement services are open to the community and help people make this transition and adjust to their new life. Services are provided by hospice staff and volunteers trained in grief and loss. If you are concerned about your or someone else's reactions to grief, our bereavement counselors are always here to help.

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Please call us at 860-848-5699 or e-mail our bereavement department at bnl@hospicesect.org.

Bereavement Services for Families

• Bereavement Support Groups are held in a variety of locations throughout the local community. Groups for loss of spouse, parent or child, expressive arts for children and teens, loss of loved one to suicide, loss of loved one to Alzheimer's Disease, loss of a pet and coping with loss over the holidays.
• A grief and bereavement library
• Referrals for professional counseling as indicated
• Home visits (Hospice families only)
• Office visits and periodic phone contact
• Bereavement volunteers assigned to caregiver and/or family members during the thirteen months following the death (hospice families only)
• Assistance in accessing community resources if needed

"Sandplay"

Hospice Southeastern Connecticut’s Expressive Arts program, “Drawing on Our Memories”, now offers “Sandplay”, as a unique, powerful and fascinating means of non-verbal expression. Linda Bradley, MFA ATR, our Expressive Arts Coordinator, has brought a sandtray and her collection of miniatures to the Hospice Southeastern Connecticut art room. Sandplay is a symbolic process that incorporates a sand-filled tray and miniature objects to tell a story. This process is effective with children, teens and adults on an individual and group basis. A participant is invited to create a three-dimensional world within the sandtray by arranging archetypal figures and a variety of natural and man-made objects chosen from an extensive collection of miniatures. The symbolism of the figures and objects used to create a story reflect the participant’s inner world. This symbolic process can be compared to dreams; both express unconscious thoughts, feelings and emotions that may have been difficult to verbalize. An observer serves as a quiet witness to the participant’s unfolding story in the sandtray. This creates a non-judgmental, contained and emotionally safe environment for the participant to reveal and explore a variety of emotions and issues that may have otherwise been left unexpressed. Sandplay can support and facilitate the grieving process and, in turn, acceptance and healing.

 

 

Bereavement Groups

Hospice Southeastern Connecticut offers on going and specific grief-support groups to anyone in New London County who has lost a loved one. Some groups meet for six weeks, and others meet once or twice monthly, depending on the topic. Group members discuss the ongoing tasks of adjusting to a new way of life and will learn effective ways to cope with the stress of loss. Groups meet in a supportive and non-threatening atmosphere at various locations throughout southeastern Connecticut. All bereavement support groups are open to Hospice Southeastern Connecticut family members as well as to all community members. All bereavement support groups are free of charge. Please call 860-848-5699 to pre-register.

The Compassionate Friends is a monthly drop-in support group for those grieving the loss of a child. The group is free of charge, and meets every 2nd Monday of the month, 6 pm – 7:30 at the Norwich Recreation Center, 75 Mohegan Road, Norwich, CT. For more information, call 860-889-5176