Grief is a normal process that people go through when they lose someone or something important. The Center for Mental Health Services reports that feelings of sorrow, anger and other emotional responses are natural and often leave people in a state of shock. Grief may be expressed following a divorce, a death, a job loss or an illness. While many work through the grieving process in months, some take years to recover and rely on the support that comes from others who have had similar experiences. If there are no local resources, you can start a grief support group yourself.
Step 1
Talk to a counselor or doctor about starting a new support group. Ask a professional to act as an advisor to the group, someone to whom you can turn with questions that may arise during the meetings. In addition to an advisory role, professionals can refer others to the group and sit in occasionally to offer advice.
Step 2
Find a location. Many grief support meetings and other self-help groups utilize church buildings that often are vacant during weekdays. Approach a minister or church member you know and ask for pro bono space, or find out how much they charge for room rentals. Local mental health agencies also may be willing to provide a room for your meetings.
Step 3
Get a partner. By starting the group with a friend or family member, you will always have at least two people at every meeting. In addition, you need to have a backup to facilitate the meeting, if you are busy. Ask someone who is in need of personal support herself or who has worked through grieving and is sympathetic to your needs and the needs of others who will attend.
Step 4
Market your group through local mental health agencies and private counselors. Put an ad in the local paper under calendar listings that are offered free to nonprofits and self-help organizations. Report the time and place of the group.
Step 5
Define the scope of the group and how you will run the meetings. Decide if you only want to attract people with certain kinds of grief, such as loss of a loved one or dealing with job loss. If you run an open-ended grief support group, expect a variety of topics and issues.
Tips and Warnings
- Start a chapter of an established grief support group such as GriefShare. A packaged kit provides notes on how to market the group and get members, access to consultants who can answer questions that come up during the process and guides on how to run the meetings.
- Set specific rules for the group that you read before every meeting. Include rules about the need for anonymity and a nonjudgmental environment. Insist that everyone's grief will be respected, and insert a no-tolerance rule for disrespect or minimizing another's pain. Decide how you will deal with angry outbursts, and keep a phone handy for emergency calls for medical or safety assistance.
