Testimonials For Support Groups
Although I still miss my mother very much I have moved on and I am not thinking negative about myself anymore. I have moved on and now when I think of my mom I am thinking about all the good things and not beating myself up over "what I did not do" for her.
Support Groups08/22/2019Participant in Moncton, New Brunswick
It's helped me to understand the different types of grief and loss.
Support Groups08/22/2019Participant in Moncton , New Brunswick
I am very grateful I had the opportunity to be part of this Grief Recovery group. It was hard at times but so worth it because I was able to let go of grief and loss I had been holding onto for a long time. I wish I would have know of this program before. Thank you for creating it! Annette Moncton, NB
Support Groups08/22/2019Participant in Moncton, New Brunswick
Had a direct purpose. Had a beginning and an end. Homework forced me to look at problem areas. Closure.
Support Groups08/21/2019Participant in CINCINNATI, OHIO
Support Groups08/21/2019Participant in Blue ash, Oh
I am now able to understand my part in my grief and reaction to losses of all kinds. I feel much less victimized. I now understand that forgiveness is all about me and never the other person who is not going to want or ever ask for forgiveness, nor will they apologize. It's all on me and that was oddly a surprise.
Support Groups08/21/2019Participant in Cincinnati, Ohio
Support Groups08/20/2019Participant in Cincinnati, Ohio
Learning what loss looks like in our everyday life was really helpful. Before this program I thought I didn't have any major losses. I see now that even the little things can add up over time.
Support Groups08/20/2019Participant in Nixa, missouri
I've had several losses in my life. My first one was at the age of 29 when my first husband was killed in a car wreck leaving myself and two toddlers behind. I never dealt with that grief other than talking to anyone who would listen. Fast forward, twenty-five years later, I watched my second husband die slowly of cancer. It was a tumultuous relationship for a few of the 22 years, however, after he discovered he had stage four pancreatic cancer, it was as though we recommitted to our marriage. Love, kindness and grace and mercy became part of our ritual intentionally with the muck buried underneath of past hurts. Nevertheless, after Jeff passed away, I was directed to meet Mike Strick with Grief Recovery. In my first meeting, he listened so intently, that it was the first time someone listened to my every word for nearly two hours with no judgement about my truth. So, I signed up and committed to making the 12-week Grief Recovery journey. Along the way, unearthing every good thing about the relationship, I also realized that releasing the hurt and pain was necessary as part of my healing, and I did just that working alongside nine other strangers in town. They, too, were kind and listened intently as I purged all of the baggage and toxic waste from my system that was no longer necessary for me to hang onto since my spouse was gone physically. They did the same for their losses. Some days I did not want to write. Some days I was angry and thought I had a right to hang onto my pain. Instead, I learned to tell my story to people willing to listen, release it and let it go through apologies and forgiveness. I no longer feel as though I'm carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders. I've completed my relationship with my spouse. I miss him daily and will treasure the good times that we spent together. I was so committed to this process that I had an out patient surgical procedure on one of the class days and still made it to the session. This course was necessary. It is the beginning of my self care. Lastly, on the day of the final session, my rheumatoid specialist decreased one of my medicines due to improvement in my condition. I wonder how many of us are walking around with old stuff, baggage bottled up inside causing physically ailments because of unfinished business in relationships through divorce, death or any significant loss. I completed my relationship through this process and for that I am grateful. Many thanks to Hospice through Crossroads on so many levels.
Support Groups08/20/2019Participant in Cincinnati , Ohio
The biggest impact this workshop had on my life is that I learned to look at difficult things in my life from a new perspective and that people can only give (help) what they are capable of giving. Loss and grief are very difficult concepts for most folks to face and often times are not equipped to help others. I have learned to accept what others were able to give me and not judge on what they were not.
Support Groups08/20/2019Participant in Cincinnati, OH
The program provided a unique perspective to better understand the learned behavior when dealing with grief or loss. I will use this structure to evaluate other people in my life.
Support Groups08/18/2019Participant in San Lorenzo, ca
This program helps me a lot to deal with the lost which in turn giving me the opportunity to move forward in my life. Thanks
Support Groups08/18/2019Participant in San Lorenzo, California
It helped me to perceive grief in a new way and find coping mechanisms along with that happiness can be found after loss.
Support Groups08/18/2019Participant in Alameda , CA
The facilitator was good but I'm not entirely sold on the method. It is assumed that total strangers can be a "heart with ears," but there is no reason to assume that strangers are listening sympathetically to your words, especially if you are grieving over a relationship in which you felt you fell short. I think there needs to be something that builds trust and intimacy between the participants before it makes sense to bare your most private moments and memories with them. Still, I found the exercises useful.
Support Groups08/18/2019Participant in Alameda, CA - California
Support Groups08/16/2019Participant in Екатеринбург, Свердловская обл
The combination of the "The Grief Recovery Handbook", assigned homework, and discussion with the facilitator worked very well. Much better to have the facilitator than read the book alone without any guidance.
Support Groups08/16/2019Participant in Loxahatchee, Florida
The program was very informative about grief and losses throughout a lifetime. The strict policy of following the program proved to be comforting even though it required me to take on faith that the outcome would be beneficial. The exercises were painful and at times I doubted and questioned the benefit of going through this structured process. The process was enlightening and I do feel a certain balance now in place of the helplessness and confusion when I started the program. The group was small which helped encourage personal truthfulness. It was helpful to emphasize and pledge confidentiality at the beginning of each session.
Support Groups08/14/2019Participant in West Hills, CA
Support Groups08/14/2019Participant in Woodland Hills, CA
First, I appreciate the newly formed perspective that I now have about grief and its value in my life. I also feel a lot less helpless or useless and unable to be of any comfort that I would hope to be to my friends when they are faced with grief and loss. I now recognize that accepting, making a safe space for and 'facilitating' grief is so much more important than attempting to 'fix it'. I now have 'tools' (other than alcohol and sleep) that can help me navigate through my own grief.
Support Groups08/14/2019Participant in Woodland Hills, California
This program was excellent and I would recommend everyone complete it.
Support Groups08/13/2019Participant in Nixa, MO
This program has taught me in my everyday life on how to deal with grief and how to help others.
Support Groups08/12/2019Participant in Columbus, OHIO
Support Groups08/12/2019Participant in Columbus, Ohio
Support Groups08/08/2019Participant in Kettering, OH
Realizing statements that I've made that are logical in response to others, and how ineffective that is.
Support Groups08/08/2019Participant in Kettering, OH