Purpose of the Group for Participants
- To understand their grief process
- To respond to their traumatic loss in more active/empowered ways
- To foster resilience
- To tell their stories in healing ways
- To improve overall health and daily functioning
- To learn from and support each other in the grief process
- To restore a sense of self
Objective: Exploring Personal Experiences Regarding Faith and Spirituality
During this session complications in the grieving process with respect to spirituality will be explored. The participants will be invited to speak about their spiritual beliefs and how they have utilized these beliefs to work through their grief. A spiritual leader will attend to lead the discussion.
| Component | Discussion | Tools / Resources |
|---|---|---|
| Topic | Exploring Personal Experiences Regarding Faith and Spirituality | |
| Introduction | Welcome participants and check-in. | Facilitator to bring candle and lighter. |
| Week Five Session | Welcome spiritual leader and provide brief Bio.
Spiritual leader will lead discussion concerning faith and spirituality. |
|
| Refreshment Break | – 15 minute break – | |
| Week Five Session Continued | Spiritual leader will continue leading discussion concerning faith and spirituality;
Facilitator to thank spiritual leader for his/her involvement. |
|
| Closing Activity | Next week is the final session. Following the Self-Care Part II component, the facilitators want the commemoration and celebration component to be the participants’ time as they wish. Each participant will be given an equal division of time to share their memories, thoughts etc;
Refer to the Evaluation Form at Tab 11 and encourage participants to complete appropriate sections while the information is fresh in their minds; Next week’s closing activity to be decided upon; Facilitators to lead calming period exercise. |
Refer to Statement Regarding Spirituality and the Self-Care Checklist. |
Adapted from the B.C. Victims of Homicide Resource Guide for Facilitators of Homicide Loss Support Group (March 2014) and Canadian Parents Of Murdered Children’s Rebuilding Shattered Lives pilot project (March – April 2016).