Close
The loss of a child is an unspeakable trauma. When that death is caused by suicide, the pains becomes more complex. If you have lost a child to suicide, you are most likely experiencing the complicated grief that surrounds this loss. We experience feelings of shame, guilt, anger, blame, shock, and isolation that are difficult to understand.
We kindly invite you to join our group. It is a small group that includes mothers who lost a child to suicide. All of the participants are working through a complicated set of emotions. Our groups provide a safe, intimate place to talk about your feelings and honor your loved one who passed.
Meetings will be virtual. We will follow The Wilderness of Suicide Grief – Finding Your Way by Dr. Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph. D. This support group meets biweekly on Tuesday at 5:00 PM until 6:30 PM AZ time. Sessions begin on July 19 and end on November 8.
Session Dates:
This group is co-facilitated by Patty and Carolyn. We welcome new and previous Women’s Group members. If you have suffered these tragic losses and are struggling to figure out how to survive, please email [email protected] or [email protected]. Once you have joined the group you will receive a book and journal. There is a $45.00 charge to cover the cost of materials. Scholarships are available.
Patty Graham resides in Omaha, Nebraska with her husband Ron. They have three adult children; Mike, Colleen and Kristine. They also have two son-in-laws and five grandchildren. Patty is a certified family nurse practitioner and retired nurse educator. She has been an active member who coordinates an Emmaus retreat for bereaved parents. Patty also works one day a week at a free health clinic caring for underserved patients who suffer from chronic illness. Patty lost her son, Mike, to suicide on September 4, 2017. Since her son’s death Patty has developed a deep interest is in grief support for suicide survivors. She genuinely enjoys working on course work in this area.
Carolyn Van Ness is deeply committed to engaging fully in the wondrous, mysterious unfolding of life and death. As a Women’s Health Care Nurse Practitioner for 30 years, her focus was on helping expand her clients understanding of “health’ by using holistic practices to achieve optimal physical, mental and spiritual well-being.
Because of New York State restrictions at the time, Carolyn was not able to fulfill an early dream of becoming a nurse midwife. However, after retirement she learned about the role of a Death Doula or Death Midwife. She felt she had come full circle. Her early dream had been reshaped to fit who she was in her current stage of life.
After studying at the Zen Center for Contemplative Care and completing the Henry Fersko-Weiss Death Doula training, Carolyn became a Hospice “friendly visitor,” developed a “Widow to Widow” companion program and participates as a Death Café group facilitator for Circle of Friends for the Dying Hudson Valley.
Carolyn is passionate about being a supportive companion to dying people and their loved ones, throughout the end-of-life process. As a parent who has lost a child to suicide she believes being able to be present with someone who shares a similar loss is one of the most important aspects of the healing process. End-of-life is not complete without a path though grief and a way to experience growth.
