Attending your first SOSBSA Support Group

The thought of attending a meeting full of strangers can be very daunting but once you arrive you will realise it’s a lot easier than you anticipated – here are people who really understand. The purpose of a support group is to support each other and to help each other through your grief work by sharing stories, coping techniques, new understandings and friendship and to be there to encourage each other through set backs.

• Groups are usually run by the facilitator or another attendee, someone who is bereaved themselves.
  
• What is discussed within the group is confidential and this is made known to all attending.
  
• Online meetings will be kept to a small number of attendees.
  
• After introductions, attendees are invited to recount their stories though you don’t have to speak – yes, there usually are tears, many of them, but that is ok.
  
• The facilitator or another attendee may gently encourage you to expand on a particular point which may be troubling you and in general discussion others may talk about how they handled that particular issue. There are no shoulds.
  
• After everyone who wants to recount their stories have had their turn, a particular issue brought up by an attendee may be discussed or the facilitator may initiate a discussion about a particular issue/issues.  Sometimes he/she may inform the group of research findings, news items, grief and loss matters or discuss mental health/illness information.
  
• As the meeting progresses, people usually begin to relax and it is not unusual to hear laughter.
  
• Some people come to many meetings in a row, others drop in every so often and others may come every couple of years just to be with others who understand.
  
• If you are within the first 6 months of your loss, it can be very daunting to hear so many stories at once.  
  
• The groups are for those over 18 – we do not yet have a children’s group. Ask your facilitator for information about local services for children.