Grief Support
The following are some tools available to assist you in your healing journey. Contact us to discuss other resources and find a personalized solution to support you on the road to healing.
365 Days of Healing
With our daily emails of comfort and hope, you will feel supported knowing we’re here to walk with you through your journey of grief.
Sign Up Now
Just One of Many
Here’s one example of our 365 Days of Healing emails, designed to offer advice, tell stories, and otherwise help you heal.
Grief & Healing Resources
Local Grief Support
Grief Share
If you are grieving the loss of a loved one, it is essential that you find support and
encouragement as you return to life’s daily routines. Grief Share provides participants the
opportunity to experience their journey from grief to healing in a Christ centered small group.
Join Wes Werner of Pagenkopf Funeral Home as he leads the monthly sessions.
Grief Share begins with a 30-minute video featuring respected experts on grief-related topics and
helpful stories from people who have experienced loss. Their insights will help you manage your
emotions, gain clarity, and find answers to your questions as you walk through the grief process.
This is followed by a group discussion on a variety of grief-related topics that blend biblical
instruction and practical guidance.
Please call 262-354-1375 to register for this FREE Event
Meets the Second Monday of the month from 10:00-11:30
At the Center for Life Enrichment located at Shorehaven, 1306 W. Wisconsin Ave, Oconomowoc
www.Griefshare.org to learn more about Grief Share and to locate a group near you that meets
weekly.
Grief Circle: Come as you are
The death of someone you love changes your life forever and can be a long and painful journey.
Grief circles are a supportive and nourishing space to connect with your grief, share your story
and experience grief in community. While every loss is unique, having the support of others who
have experienced loss can be comforting. New ideas can emerge by listening to others. Grief
circles are ancient. For thousands of years, across different cultures and continents, people have
been coming together in circle to share in life’s joy and pain. Grief circles often make a
significant difference in helping a person channel grief toward a new wholeness. Our Grief
Circle will remind you that you are not alone.
Join our monthly Grief Circle to share your experience, heal and find support. Gain a deeper understanding of your own grief and feel less alone in your journey. Our grief circle is hosted by Melissa Minkley; MSW and Kathy Ginn; Body-centered Grief Companion.
Dates for 2024: July 10, August 14, September 11, October 9, November 13, December 11
Location: Pagenkopf Funeral Home
2228 N Silver Maple Lane
Oconomowoc, WI 53066
RSVP: (262) 567-4457 or pfhrsvp@gmail.com
Time: 5:30-7:00 pm
No charge
Embracing Grief
There is nothing as devastatingly painful as the loss of a loved one. Grief is a universal experience that everyone will experience at some point in their lives, yet grief is also a uniquely individual journey for every one of us.
If someone you love has died, whether it's a spouse, parent, child, or friend; it is important to give yourself permission to grieve, and remember; your grief is unique to you. Our culture is very good at hurrying us through our grief. We are told "it will get better, with time, so make it short." Most people don't know what to say or do with another person's grief. Grief can feel very, very lonely. We can even feel crazy at times. After my father died, I truly thought I was going crazy. I did not understand my grief, or the complexity of my feelings. I remember a Hospice Social Worker shared the following; "You are not crazy; you are grieving." Her pearl on insight, along with her kindess and deep listening shifted my entire relationship with grief. It became a journey of embracing my grief without shame and speed. One of the many lessons I have learned on my journey is the following; we grieve because we love; thank God we can Love.
During this difficult time you might struggle to do simple things like getting out of bed, going to work, socializing, cooking; many simple tasks that were easy and natural for you before your loss. It's OK, this is grief. Our individual grief journey invites us to come to terms with knowing our life will never be the same agian. While nothing can really prepare us for this loss, there are ways to make your journey perhaps more easeful. Embracing grief is not always easy. We are taught to run away from our grief, to feel better, to get over it. We find many ways to run away from our grief - the truth is ---we can never run from grief.
Whether it's been several days or many years since your loss; it's ok to still grieve for your loved one. Grief is something all of us have to exprerience, and it is only by allowing yourself to properly grieve a loss that you can finally move on.
Blessings of Peace,
Kathy Ginn
Grief Share: Weekly grief support
Register: griefshare.org/findagroup
Additional Grief Support
Healing Hearts of Southeast Wisconsin
Grief support groups are offered for children, teenagers, young adults, and adults led by skilled
and compassionate facilitators. These groups provide support through the challenges of grief
which help in the healing process after loss.
Register online to join a group www.healingheartswisconsin.org. For more information call
Healing Hearts at 262-751-0874.
All group programs are FREE of charge to attendees.
Web Healing – Web Healing offers grief discussion boards where you can talk with others who
are grieving or browse recommended books on grief. Please visit www.webhealing.com for more
information.
Specialized Grief Support
Kathy Ginn – Grief Companioning a holistic approach to grief support through Individual Grief
Companion Sessions. 608-334-8592; www.4riverscenter.com; kathy@4riverscenter.com
MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) 877-275-6233; www.madd.org/get-help/victim-assistance
Suicide Loss Survivors – www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/help-yourself/loss-survivors
Twinless Twins – www.twinlesstwins.org
Loss of a Child
The Compassionate Friends – Whether you’ve suffered the loss of a child at any age, from any cause, or you are helping those who have gone through this life-altering experience, The
Compassionate Friends exists to provide friendship, understanding, and hope to those going
through the grieving process as a parent. Please visit www.compassionatefriends.org for more
information.
Bereaved Parents USA – 501-681-1464; www.bereavedparentsusa.org
Funeral Basics
Reliable planning and informative articles.
"The reality is that you will grieve forever.
You will not 'get over' the loss of a loved one; you will learn to live with it.
You will heal
and you will rebuild yourself around the loss you have suffered.
You will be whole again but you will never be the same.
Nor should you be the same nor would you want to."
Elisabeth Kubler - Ross
Resources for Grieving Children
Camp Hope - Camp for Grieving Children
715-341-0076 | www.camphopeforkids.org
The National Alliance for Grieving Children
866-432-1542 | www.childrengrieve.org
Children & Grief
When a loved one dies, it can be difficult to know how to help kids cope with the loss, particularly as you work through your own grief. By being open and honest, encouraging communication, and sharing your own feelings, you and your children can cope with painful times and begin your healing journey together.
The following links provide more detailed information on topics related to helping children and teens cope with loss.
When Families Grieve™
This guide was created by Sesame Workshop, the educational organization behind Sesame Street. It explores children's understanding of death and offers information about communicating, ideas for coping together, and ways to move forward with your children after a loss.
More Advice
This list from Allina Health recommends children’s books that deal with death and grief. There are suggestions for children of all ages, from preschool to age 12. They also have books for different types of losses, such as the loss of a parent, sibling, grandparent, friend, or pet. With these books, you can start a meaningful conversation with your child and help them understand their feelings
More Advice
Here you'll find a Huffington Post article by Judith Acosta containing advice and guidance from her book Verbal First Aid, which counsels parents on ways to help kids heal from fear and pain in a variety of situations, including the death of a loved one. If you find the advice in the article helpful, you may want to read her book for even more insight.
