By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
The loss of a loved one is hard, but a successful program in St. Joseph aims to help people overcome their grief.
GriefShare has been going for a number of years in St. Joseph. The program will return in February but will kick off this Sunday with the Loss of Spouse seminar.
Organizer Mary Noel Owens says those that come to the Loss of Spouse Seminar have been known to return for the GriefShare program.
"Most of them are excited to learn oh there are other people that feel just like I do, I'm not the only one, I'm not going crazy, this is a normal reaction for me, and these people are just like me they're crying and they're trying to cope and figure out what to do," Owens tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr. "And immediately they feel that support."
GriefShare will begin on February 2nd at Brookfield Church in St. Joseph with program times at 10am or 6pm every Thursday.
For the first year a third opportunity will be presented at Three Oaks Hospice by Jennifer Kusilek on Tuesdays at 10am beginning February 7th.
Kusilek says after taking the GriefShare courses herself, and working in hospice, she knows how well the program works.
"It's more like growing through grief versus just letting it consume you," Kusilek says. "And having people there that are going through the same thing is just so helpful, so I'm looking forward to that."
Owens says for those reluctant to come to a class, she encourages them to just come attend just once.
"You don't have to say a word, you don't have to do a thing, just come and listen and you may find that it's a program that really can help you move through your grief," Owens explains.
Owens says she encourages those that do come to the class to at least attend three of the sessions.
"I tell them give me three times, at the end of three times if you decide this is not for me, I won't bug you anymore," Owens says. "But you just really need to come three times and try it."
The Loss of Spouse course, an introduction to the GriefShare program, will be held this Sunday at 2pm at Brookfield Church.