October - December 2017
Grief Counseling Center
Grief Counseling Center HELPING PEOPLE LIVE WITH LOSS
By Amy Sloboda, MA, LPAT, CT Director, Grief Counseling Services
W h a t We Get To Ke e p
In anticipating the first holiday season without your loved one, it is natural to feel sad and anxious. Many things about the holidays can make the absence felt more acutely, one of which is the tradition of exchanging gifts. The absence of one close to you with whom you used to give or receive gifts can be very difficult. You may miss thinking of a great gift for them and may miss receiving a special gift in return. But honestly, most of us cannot remember material things we received from one year to the next. It’s the little things about our shared life with that person that we miss the most. These gifts are intangibles. They cannot be boxed and giftwrapped, displayed in your home or shown off to others. Often they are not easily described and it is hard to put them into words. But they are there just the same. Think about all of the “gifts” you have received from your person who died: a hug when you needed it most, a special friendship, a good, down-to-yourThese intangibles are gifts received toes laugh, knowing The in your heart—they are inside. And you are loved. gift could be important because they are inside, they are things you have protected and are a part of you. And learned about life unlike things on the outside, they just through knowing cannot be lost or taken away. them or something you discovered about yourself through taking care of them. Maybe you discovered that you have the ability to love another person in return fully and unconditionally. These intangibles are gifts received in your heart—they are inside. And because they are inside, they are protected and are a part of you. And unlike things on the outside, they cannot be lost or taken away. Sometimes, our relationship with the person who died was complicated. You might wonder if there are any gifts to find! The challenge of good grief work is to come out on the other side of the loss experience changed in a positive way. You may discover new things about yourself on this journey
through grief. The truth is, you are a survivor and you are evolving from this loss a different person than you were before. Be willing to explore and to receive this gift. We encourage you this holiday season, and beyond, to reflect on and claim the gifts you have received from knowing your person who died. You might want to share them with your family. In addition, whether or not you gather with family we encourage you to find simple, deliberate ways to acknowledge the absence of your person, reflect upon the special gifts you have received from this person, and to be thankful for their having been, and continuing to be, ever present in your lives.
Do you need help getting through the holidays? We offer programs and counseling services to help with grief support during the holidays. See information about available programs in this newsletter or visit our website at www.HosparusHealth.org/GriefCenter. You may also contact the Grief Counseling Center at 502-456-5451 or 888-345-8197.
A D U LT P RO G R A M S LO S S S U P P O RT G RO U P S
S PE C I A L P RO G R A M S
Ongoing support groups offer a unique opportunity to meet and talk with others who’ve experienced loss, and to share ways for coping. There is no fee for Loss groups. Pre-registration required.
The following programs are one time events. There is no fee for these programs. Pre-registration is required.
LOUISVILLE 3526 Ephraim McDowell Dr., Louisville
Loss of Spouse or Partner 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. 1st and 3rd Thursday each month
Grieving Men
SOUTHWEST LOUISVILLE Grieving Adults 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. 1st and 3rd Tuesday each month Little Flock Baptist Church, 5510 N. Preston Hwy., Room 165, Shepherdsville
6:00 – 7:30 p.m. 1st and 3rd Thursday each month
ELIZABETHTOWN
Loss of Parent or Surrogate Parent
Loss of Spouse or Partner
105 Diecks Dr., Elizabethtown
6:00 – 7:30 p.m. 1st and 3rd Tuesday each month
2:00 – 3:15 p.m. ET 1st and 3rd Tuesday each month
Loss of Spouse or Partner
Adult Loss
6:00 – 7:30 p.m. 2nd and 4th Tuesday each month
6:00 – 7:15 p.m. ET 2nd and 4th Thursday each month
Parent Share
SOUTHERN INDIANA Grieving Adults
Grieving the loss of a child due to miscarriage, stillbirth or early infant death 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. 1st and 3rd Thursday each month
Child Loss For adults who have lost a child under the age of 22 in the last three years 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. 2nd Monday each month
Companion Animal Loss 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. 3rd Wednesday each month
Noon – 1:30 p.m. 1st and 3rd Wednesday each month 502 Hausfeldt Ln., New Albany
GIVING THROUGH GRIEF Volunteering is a proven way to ease the pain of grief. It provides connection and a sense of purpose. Perhaps more significantly, it is an opportunity for us to shift our focus. Come join others who are dealing with loss, and participate in making a difference for someone else. CARE BLANKETS 9:00 a.m. – Noon; Friday, November 10 3532 Ephraim McDowell Dr., Community Room, Louisville Hosparus Health gives a handmade blanket to patients in our Inpatient Care Center. Join us to create simple fleece care blankets. We will provide the fabric and you put them together. Please register by Wed., November 8. KOURAGEOUS KIDS HOLIDAY PARTY PREPARATION 10:00 a.m. – Noon; Thursday, December 7 3532 Ephraim McDowell Dr., Community Room, Louisville Join us as we wrap donated presents for our Kourageous Kids pediatric patients and their families. Please register by Mon., December 4.
Grieving Adults 11:15 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. 2nd Thursday each month Villages at Historic Silvercrest, 1 Silvercrest, New Albany
Grieving a Death from Overdose 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. 2nd Tuesday each month 502 Hausfeldt Ln., New Albany
HEALING YOUR HEART Through Mindfulness and Yoga for Grief 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Saturday, December 2 3526 Ephraim McDowell Dr., Lower Level, Louisville For adults and teens interested in learning how to use mindfulness and gentle yoga as a way to cope with grief and reduce stress. Please wear comfortable clothes. Mats will be provided or you may bring your own. Not suitable for children. Please register by Thurs., November 30.
T
he holiday season can be an especially difficult time for those grieving the death of someone in their life. This grief support program will have topical presentations and discussions that focus on practical coping methods for grievers during the holiday season. Pre-registration is required. There is no fee. Topics for Louisville: – Holiday Grief: Why Is It So Difficult? – Dealing with Others’ Expectations and Our Limitations – The Importance of Ritual and Memory in Coping – Taking Care of Ourselves in the Midst of Holiday Stress – Celebrating our Survival: Planning to Thrive – Hope for the New Year and Beyond
LOUISVILLE
6:00 - 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays – November 14 - December 19 3532 Ephraim McDowell Dr., Louisville 40205 Community Room 1:00 - 2:30 p.m. Mondays – November 13 - December 18 3526 Ephraim McDowell Dr., Louisville 40205 Counseling Center
SOUTHERN INDIANA TOPIC: Coping with Grief During the Holidays 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, December 5 502 Hausfeldt Ln., New Albany 47150
FA M I LY A N D C H I L D R E N P RO G R A M S M E M O R I A L S E RV I C E S Remembering and Honoring Hosparus Health Patients
New Program
Rooted in Hope (Roots)
We will honor patients who died in Hosparus Health's care between October 2016 and September 2017. Each service will provide inspirational words, comforting music and a time for remembrance. Refreshments will served at each service. Online reservations are preferred or you may call the number listed below. H O S PA R U S H E A LT H L O U I S V I L L E Service of Remembrance Sunday, November 12 • 2:00 pm Holy Family Catholic Church 3926 Poplar Level Rd., Louisville KY 40213 H O S PA R U S H E A LT H G R E E N R I V E R Holiday Remembrance Service Sunday, November 5 • 2:30 p.m. ET Arrive at 1:45 p.m. to create an ornament Campbellsville Christian Church 302 Lebanon Avenue, Campbellsville KY 42718 Family and friends are invited to remember a special person who has died by placing an ornament on a holiday tree. H O S PA R U S H E A LT H S O U T H E R N I N D I A N A Holiday Hearts Remembrance Service Sunday, November 20 • 1:00 p.m. Kye’s 500 Missouri Avenue, Jeffersonville IN 47130 Family and friends are invited to remember a special person who has died by placing an ornament on a holiday tree. H O S PA R U S H E A LT H C E N T R A L K E N T U C K Y Holiday Remembrance Service Sunday, December 3 • 2:30 p.m. ET Arrive at 1:45 p.m. to create an ornament First Presbyterian Church 1016 Pear Orchard Rd., Elizabethtown KY 42701 Family and friends are invited to remember a special person who has died by placing an ornament on a holiday tree.
“Family, like branches in a tree, we all grow in different directions, yet our roots remain as one.” – Unknown
Roots are an integral part of a tree, supplying many of the various things trees need to survive and grow. For families coping with a loss, it is a helpful reminder to know that the roots that make up your family tree will provide a firm foundation and sustenance, even while each person is experiencing their own unique grief. Rooted in Hope (Roots) is a family-focused support group. Roots (Fall/Winter session starts October 2nd) 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. 1st and 3rd Monday – October 2 thru December 18 3526 Ephraim McDowell Dr., Louisville
We invite all families who are coping with a loss due to death to participate in Roots. Participants will come together to share a light meal and then break into age groups. Get connected, make new friends and learn ways to take care of your grief. The following groups will meet concurrently: · Parent/Caregiver · Teen (12-18 years old)* · School Age (6-11 years old) · Pre-K/Kindergarten (3-5 years old) *18 year old participants must still attend high school A program facilitator will contact you prior to group to discuss your family's participation. Space is limited and pre-registration is required.
Visit our website for more program details and to register online. www.HosparusHealth.org/GriefCenter
Counseling appointments are also available. Call to learn more or to register: Hosparus Health Grief Counseling Center at 502-456-5451 or 888-345-8197.
Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage Paid Louisville, KY Permit # 1530
3526 Ephraim McDowell Dr Louisville KY 40205-3224
Grief Counseling Center
Return Service Requested
The Hosparus Health Grief Counseling Center offers the area’s most comprehensive programs and services for children, adolescents, adults and families who are grieving the death of someone in their lives. Whether grieving an expected death from illness or a sudden and tragic death, the Grief Counseling Center helps people to understand their grief experiences and provide them with practical and helpful tools for coping. Grief Counseling Center services are offered at no cost to hospice families for up to 13 months following the death. The cost for others is based on a sliding scale and includes financial assistance for those unable to pay. In addition, many groups and programs are offered at no fee to the community thanks to the generous support through grants from: Barth Foundation • Community Foundation of Southern Indiana • The Cralle Foundation • Etscorn Charitable Foundation • Mildred V. Horn Foundation • Independent Pilots Association (IPA) • Kosair Charities • Lift a Life Foundation • Jamie Parsley Family Foundation • Porcini Children’s Foundation • Sisters of Charity of Nazareth • Arthur K. Smith Family Foundation • Mary Cofer Trigg Foundation • WHAS Crusade for Children • Woosley Foundation Interpreter services available upon request.
Grief Counseling Locations: Barren River 101 Riverwood Ave., Ste B Bowling Green, KY 42103 270-782-7258
Louisville 3526 Ephraim McDowell Dr. Louisville, KY 40205 502-456-5451
Barren River-Glasgow 1320 North Race St. Glasgow, KY 42141 270-782-7258
Southern Indiana 502 Hausfeldt Ln. New Albany, IN 47150 812-948-4862
Central Kentucky 105 Diecks Dr. Elizabethtown, KY 42701 270-737-6300
Green River Green River Plaza, Ste 5 295 Campbellsville Bypass Campbellsville, KY 42718 270-789-4247
Toll Free 888-345-8197
For information, visit HosparusHealth.org or call 800-264-0521. A non-profit hospice and palliative care provider. Accredited by The Joint Commission.
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N AT I O N A L C H I L D R E N ' S M E M O R I A L D AY Sunday, December 10 Hosted at the First Unitarian Church 809 S. Fourth St., Louisville KY 40203 (corner of 4th & York; parking adjacent to the church)
4:30-6:30 p.m. – Healing Space The public is invited to make luminaries in memory of children (of any age) who are deceased as a way of celebrating the light they have brought to our lives. Participants also are invited to bring pictures and other mementos of their child, which will be placed with the luminaries in an area of quiet remembrance and reflection. 6:45 p.m. – Remembrance and Candle Lighting Ceremony The public is invited to a Candle Lighting Memorial coinciding with similar celebrations in every time zone across the globe. Names of all children will be read throughout the afternoon and again during the Candle Lighting Ceremony. If you are unable to attend, you are invited to call to arrange for a luminary to be made in celebration of your child and/or submit a child’s name to be read in the Healing Space. Call 502-456-5451 or email jomer@hosparus.org. The luminaries will be mailed to those families unable to attend following the ceremony. Registration is preferred. Sponsored by Hosparus Health Grief Counseling Center
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