Area churches offer support for those suffering from grief

BLAIRSVILLE, Ga. – A new session of GriefShare will begin on Sunday, Jan. 13, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at First Baptist Church Ministry Center in Blairsville. Additionally, McConnell Baptist Church, located in Hiawassee, offers the grief support program.

The 14-week seminar is designed to support and assist those who have experienced the loss of a loved one through death. Advice from professionals is extended throughout the program. A $15 fee is requested although scholarships are available. For questions related to the program or to register in advance, contact First Baptist Church in Blairsville at 706-745-2469.

The reality of grief is that it cannot be avoided and working through the grieving process is necessary in order to heal. Throughout the process, many different emotions may be experienced – disappointment, sadness, anger, despair, fear, guilt – and support is often needed. Many people wonder if they are grieving the right way and if what they are experiencing is normal. There is no right or wrong way to grieve over loss.

In the 1970s, British psychiatrist Colin Murray Parkes and psychologist John Bowlby proposed a concept involving four stages or phases of grief. According to research, grief is often divided into stages: shock and numbness, search and yearning, disorganization/ disorientation, and reorganization/resolution. Sometimes the stages can overlap and those suffering may move back and forth between them. In some individuals, certain stages may not be experienced at all.