Grief support helps mourners process complex feelings

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There are many types of losses and different kinds of help and support for persons experiencing loss.

Whether you’ve lost an older family member, an unborn baby or special friend, your grief is real, and it’s worth the time and effort to address your feelings.

What is grief support? It can be the companionship of family and friends who offer sympathy and practical help at the time of a death. Support can also be more formalized.

Grief counseling by a professional mental health therapist may be helpful for those struggling after a loss. Structured group therapy is available. Other grief groups emphasize being in a social setting among others who have had a loss.

Resources available include groups facilitated by area funeral homes, local church programs and hospice-based bereavement services. Contact a Health Navigator for details at 515-993-3750 or phn@dallascountyiowa.gov.

Support is particularly important for those with complex grief, such as when there has been a rift in a relationship and one person dies before the relationship was mended. Sometimes grief occurs when we think we’re not “supposed to” grieve, as for an ex-spouse or an abuser.

Feelings are not right or wrong. Participating in grief support recognizes feelings and helps individuals process them.

Ann Cochran is the health navigation coordinator in the Dallas County Public Health Department.

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