November 4, 2020
Have you experienced a loss and have been struggling with your grief? Do you feel that you are not “normal”? Has it been hard to talk to someone during the pandemic? If you answered “yes” to one or more of these questions, you may benefit from bereavement counseling through telehealth services at Holy Family Home Health Care & Hospice.
Grief is a normal reaction to losing a loved one. However, despite how normal it is, it is a hard journey to face alone. When you are grieving, it brings up a lot of feelings that are hard to process and understand. One of the hardest parts about grieving during COVID-19 is not being able to be around family, friends and other supports. This lack of social support can make you feel more isolated and alone.
The pandemic is also creating new “layers” to grief. These extra layers may include not feeling like you have closure due to lack of funeral services. You may also find it challenging to process your loss because of other stressors or you’re unable to perform coping skills in the way you want to. Also, concern for your own safety and health may prevent you from seeking traditional face-to-face bereavement counseling.
All of those factors have made it harder for individuals to get the support that they need and want. However, Holy Family wants you to know that you are not alone in your grief. Bereavement counseling through telehealth services is now available. These telehealth services provide individual and/or virtual support group counseling over the phone or video.
Individual counseling provides one-on-one sessions with a counselor. You are able to talk about your loss, the experiences you are having within your grief, and any personal topics you want to discuss that centers around your grief.
The virtual support group is an open group where individuals come together to discuss their grief experiences. This group meets on the first Tuesday of each month. Each meeting is centered around a different grief-related topic. Anyone interested in the virtual support group needs to be able to download Zoom onto their device, however, a video camera is not needed to be a part of this group.
Telehealth is a free service to anyone in the community who experienced a death-related loss, regardless of when that loss occurred. This is a safe way to connect to one of our counselors during the pandemic and is also compliant with HIPPA guidelines and standards.
Holy Family wants you to know that we are here for support and to assist you within your grief journey. To make an appointment with our bereavement counselors or to get more information about our telehealth services, please contact Erin Hout at eh***@ho************.com or by phone at 440.545.7032 or Carrie Nicholas at cn*******@ho************.com or by phone at 440.545.7031.