A Grief and Loss Support Group meets with the intention of assisting persons who have experienced various types of losses to help manage the feelings and reactions from the aftermath of those losses. More often than not, participants have lost a loved one (spouse, child or grandchild, sibling, other family member, or friend). Other significant types of bereavement can include: being let go from employment, destruction of one’s home, radical surgery, death of a beloved pet, or relocation to a new area or life setting that requires major readjustment.

Usually, a group will have a maximum of ten to twelve people and will have a particular time limit. The energy and vitality of the group come from the group members, though a facilitator is present to monitor the group. The facilitator is also present to maintain the emotional safety of the group members. The group may follow a set curriculum and may use a published program that explores various dimensions of grief and mourning, using reading material or a journal book with questions or exercises to stimulate thought and discussion.

Some groups are focused around a particular topic, such as self-care while mourning, grieving during the holidays, skills education to deal with sadness, or challenges posed when interacting with others when one is in mourning. Other groups may be less formal, with the facilitator making use of handouts or other tools developed by grief specialists to assist those in mourning. Some churches offer such groups which include a religious and faith perspective.

PEMI-BAKER HOSPICE AND HOME HEALTH sponsors five or six Grief & Loss Support Groups over the course of a calendar year. We apologize that we cannot accommodate children or adolescents to our groups. Each group lasts for a series of six weekly sessions. After a six-week series, there is usually a break for four weeks before the next series begins.

THERE IS NO COST FOR ATTENDANCE, though the facilitator may suggest reading materials which group members can purchase on their own. Every year, there is a “Holiday Blues” group, beginning in Thanksgiving week and going through the week after Christmas. The group meetings are held at the Plymouth Regional Senior Center. We use the upstairs art room which is accessible by elevator for those who may need it. We meet on Tuesday mornings at 10:30am and conclude by 12:00noon. Several of our participants will stay for lunch ($ 5.00 fee to the Senior Center), and often choose to meet for lunch during the break times to check in with each other. The first session of each series includes a review of recommended guidelines for participating in the group followed by introductions and informing the group gathering about who or what you are mourning and how long it has been since the experience of the bereavement. It is very important that participants be able to attend the first scheduled session.

OUR NEXT GRIEF AND LOSS SUPPORT GROUP WILL BEGIN ON TUESDAY, JUNE 30, 2026, AT 10:30am. At the present time, there is no determined topic. You MUST pre-register by contacting Guy Tillson, Hospice Chaplain and Bereavement Coordinator, by email (gtillson@pbhha.org) or by phone at 603 536-2232. Please leave your email address and/or your phone number so he can get back to you, especially if you have any questions or concerns. If you are NOT already a member of the Senior Center, please plan on arriving by 10:15am to get a parking slip for your car from the receptionist at the front desk of the Senior Center so you can put it on your dashboard before you come upstairs for the group.