📋 Finding the Right Grief Support Group for Healing (AARP Article)

[Fall2025VA]

FROM THE ARTICLE. 

Experts share insights on choosing the best national or local community for comfort after your loss.

By Sharon Jayson, AARP. Published October 10, 2025.

Navigating the territory of bereavement and grief can be overwhelming amid daily life demands. For those in the throes of mourning and lingering sadness, a support group may help ease the pain and provide some comfort.

And those who have made grief their life’s work say finding the right group makes all the difference.

It’s important to look for grief support that will not necessarily make you feel better, but makes you feel understood,” says Mary Lamia, a clinical psychologist in private practice in Marin County, California. “It’s not about getting over it, but continuing to live with it. Then it’s a good support group.

Understanding grief.

Grief is defined as an individual’s emotional response to loss. The American Psychological Association (APA) defines it as “the anguish experienced after significant loss, usually the death of a beloved person.” The APA refers to bereavement as “the condition of having lost a loved one to death."

USE THE LINK BELOW TO READ THE ARTICLE.

https://www.aarp.org/caregiving/basics/grief-resources/ 

[Fall2025VA]

[Friday 10/10/25]

Are you participating in a Group Support?

Or thinking about joining a GROUP?

Or did participate in the PAST?

Or doing Individual Counseling like I am? (Started July 2025)

Luv,

Nicole. 🤗🤗🤗  (Grief Forum)

[Fall2025VA]

I finally started Individual Counseling July 2025.

Grateful Medicare covers a MONTHLY SESSION.

She had "suggested" weekly but told her I am basically self-sufficient and NOT feeling I needed to see her that often. 

I had my "meltdown" when car & my health "tested" me THIS YEAR 2025.

It was like TOO MUCH that was "hanging" around (alot of medical tests & more on the way and car getting older/2006 Hyundai Elantra) which was TRIGGERING my "grief" all over AGAIN.

January 2025 I had CELEBRATED surviving "grief" then got hit with car & health later in the year.

Luv,

Nicole. 🤗🤗🤗  (Grief Forum)

[mc6844]

Nicole, I'm glad you found a resource that works for you. I'm sorry about your car and health challenges. It's hard dealing with those things on your own. I don't know if your medical has a nurse you can call and ask questions or what's bothering you. Maintaining a car is not easy in our situations. It's scary financially and repair is stressful. If we're older the fatigue of it all can drain us. During these times I need simplicity more than ever. Having people we can contact and/or ask for help is important. And a true blessing. The whole process is up and down, back and forth etc. One foot in front of the other. Take care Nicole. I hope you feel better! 💘😊

[Fall2025VA]

Thank you MC @mc6844 !!! I too have been FOCUSING on keeping my life simple. Grateful for my only child, a daughter & my cat "Mister". As ALWAYS, we APPRECIATE your visits my friend.

Luv,

Nicole. 🤗🤗🤗  (Grief Forum)

➡️[*** MC 

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@mc6844 wrote:

Nicole, I'm glad you found a resource that works for you. I'm sorry about your car and health challenges. It's hard dealing with those things on your own. I don't know if your medical has a nurse you can call and ask questions or what's bothering you. Maintaining a car is not easy in our situations. It's scary financially and repair is stressful. If we're older the fatigue of it all can drain us. During these times I need simplicity more than ever. Having people we can contact and/or ask for help is important. And a true blessing. The whole process is up and down, back and forth etc. One foot in front of the other. Take care Nicole. I hope you feel better! 💘😊

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[GailL1]

Sometimes that is all one has to give . . . . one step forward two steps back.  Those life things can feel very heavy at times especially when there is nobody close by to help you or even share or talk with you.  That is when a support group - official or unofficial - or even a lone counselor comes in very handy.  

The problem with those that you need to make an appointment with is they are there after the crisis or meltdown has occurred and it is a time to look back at the triggers and figure out how things could be either handled differently or how we can react differently to them.  

Whereas if there was a group or even a contact that one can call at the crisis moment, to just use as a sounding board or a shoulder to cry on - just getting it all out can reduce it’s affect.  In those times of vulnerability, we take strength from others or the group until we can once again stand on our own two-feet taking that one step at a time always forward.  

It is hard to do but it does work, doubly hard if we are already loners.  Because being too much of a loner gives the brain too much time to keep playing those old thought over and over.  

“ It is by self-forgetting that one finds " Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi. Inner peace is achieved by shifting focus from one's own needs and concerns to those of others, finding fulfillment in service, forgiveness, and love rather than in seeking comfort or being understood.  

Remember we do have to accept the things that we cannot change - 

Have a really good evening - whoops, I mean early morning - darn insomnia!

[Fall2025VA]

Yes Gail @GailL1 , we have to find our support in whatever form that works for us.

Luv,

Nicole  🤗🤗🤗  (Grief Forum)

➡️[*** GAIL 

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@GailL1 wrote:

Sometimes that is all one has to give . . . . one step forward two steps back.  Those life things can feel very heavy at times especially when there is nobody close by to help you or even share or talk with you.  That is when a support group - official or unofficial - or even a lone counselor comes in very handy.  

The problem with those that you need to make an appointment with is they are there after the crisis or meltdown has occurred and it is a time to look back at the triggers and figure out how things could be either handled differently or how we can react differently to them.  

Whereas if there was a group or even a contact that one can call at the crisis moment, to just use as a sounding board or a shoulder to cry on - just getting it all out can reduce it’s affect.  In those times of vulnerability, we take strength from others or the group until we can once again stand on our own two-feet taking that one step at a time always forward.  

It is hard to do but it does work, doubly hard if we are already loners.  Because being too much of a loner gives the brain too much time to keep playing those old thought over and over.  

“ It is by self-forgetting that one finds " Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi. Inner peace is achieved by shifting focus from one's own needs and concerns to those of others, finding fulfillment in service, forgiveness, and love rather than in seeking comfort or being understood.  

Remember we do have to accept the things that we cannot change - 

Have a really good evening - whoops, I mean early morning - darn insomnia!

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