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: Self-Care Part II and Commemoration and the Celebration of Your Loved One’s Life
Participants will continue to explore and implement self-care components introduced during Self-Care Part I i.e. what have participants learned from each other, what strengths have they identified in themselves that they didn’t realize they had and build on those etc. They will, also, write a letter as a personal commitment to themselves reminding them what they plan to do. In addition, during this session each participant will present the memory of his/her loved one through pictures, poems, recordings or any memorabilia that enlivens that person’s presence within the group. This is an occasion for celebrating the vitality and value of the participants’ loved ones.
| Component | Discussion | Tools / Resources |
|---|---|---|
| Topic | Self-Care Part II and Commemoration and the Celebration of Your Loved One’s Life | |
| Introduction | Welcome participants and check-in. | Facilitator to bring candle and lighter. |
| Week Six Session | Facilitators will ask participants to summarize, in terms of their personal self-care, what they have learned from each other over the last five weeks concerning self-care and, specifically, what they have learned about themselves (what has changed and what hasn’t changed; what strengths have been identified that they didn’t realize they had and how do they continue to build on those strengths?).
At this point participants will be asked to write a letter to themselves regarding their personal commitment. These letters will be sealed in a self-addressed envelope and given to the facilitators. |
Refer participants to cards and envelopes at back of their journals. Ten minutes should be allocated for this exercise. |
| Refreshment Break | – 15 minute break – | |
| Week Five Session Continued | Facilitators will lead session concerning the commemoration and the celebration of the participants’ loved one’s lives and ensure that each participant has an opportunity to share;
Refer to the Evaluation Form at Tab 11 and have participants finalize their feedback. |
|
| Closing Activity | Facilitator to collect Evaluation Forms;
Facilitators to thank everyone for their participation and feedback; Distribute Certificates of Participation; Facilitators to lead calming period exercise. |
Refer to Good Sleep Hygiene, Exercise and Nutrition, 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).