"The crisis center I directed provided individual counseling and also operated multiple grief support groups. Four of the groups were for survivors of suicide-parents who lost children, youths who lost parents, individuals who lost partners, and others who lost siblings or friends because of suicide. The first night of each group was memorable for one main reason. Upon entering the room, many people gasped."
"They couldn't believe that so many other people were there, that so many others had experienced the same tragedy they had experienced, the suicide of a loved one. Until that moment, they felt completely alone. Our grief counseling director, who was a nationally recognized death educator, started every first night the same way: 'I'm so sorry that you're here, and I'm so glad that you're here.'"
Suicide deaths cause intense trauma for family members and friends because of pervasive guilt, stigma, and relentless 'what if' questioning about missed warning signs. Many people who lose a loved one to suicide face elevated personal suicide risk, prompting crisis centers that run 24-hour hotlines to also offer grief counseling. Grief support groups for parents who lost children, youths who lost parents, partners, siblings, and friends typically bring together 15–20 people and sometimes require extra facilitators. Initial group meetings often relieve profound isolation when survivors realize others share their loss. Resources for survivors of attempts and parents of attempters remain rare.
Read at Psychology Today
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