Episode 28 | Multi-State Online Grief Support Groups
The Group Work Podcast. Find out what happens in the space where group therapy takes place.
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Summary
Shannon Heers, who runs a grief group, joins Katie to discuss the power of normalizing and validating grief. They talk about the emotional toll of facilitating a grief group, what it’s like to be in a grief group, and some great tips for therapists who want to run grief groups of their own.
Shannon Heers is the founder of Catalyss Consulting and is a Licensed Professional Counselor.
Timestamps
[00:00] Who is Shannon Heers (Grief Groups)?
[05:05] How Shannon Heers started a grief group (and how it works).
[08:02] The lonely feeling that grief groups normalize and validate.
[09:15] How is loss defined in this grief group?
[11:12] What the experience inside a grief group is like.
[13:52] How it feels to facilitate a grief group.
[15:23] What makes people feel that it is time to leave (graduate) a grief group.
[16:52] Tools and resources therapists can use to keep the conversation going in a grief group.
[17:58] How you can co-facilitate a grief group.
[19:48] Is there a screening process to enter this grief group?
[21:02] The unavoidable challenge of running a grief group.
[22:52] Top tip for therapists wondering if running a grief group is a good choice.
[24:00] How to connect with Shannon Heers (or even join the grief support group).
3 Key Takeaways
- “Other people think I should just be over it now” is one of the ways people who need grief groups feel. A grief group normalizes and validates those feelings.
- If you are a therapist who is thinking of running a grief group, remember to do something wholesome after facilitating your grief group (eg: go give your kids a hug).
- Accepting a loss is usually the point in time when grief group members feel ready to graduate from their grief group.
Tools & Resources
Connect with Shannon Heers: Website | LinkedIn
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