Grieving
Loosing someone or something you love or care deeply about is very painful. Emotional suffering is often felt when something or someone you love is taken away from you. The more significant the loss, the more intense the grief will be. Everyone grieves different depending on the situation, such as your life experience, nature of the loss and personality. It takes time to heal and can not be forced or hurried. Patience is key because they is no certain time frame when the grieving will go away. In this section, we provide resources that would help you or a loved one cope with a loss. We are always available to help find any other resources or provide support.
Local Resources:
Camarillo Hospice
400 Rosewood Ave. Suite 102
Camarillo, CA 93010
Phone: (805) 389.6870
Camarillo Hospice - is a volunteer hospice and grief counseling center dedicated to the dignity of life by providing free care, comfort, support and counseling to individuals and families facing a life-limiting illness and/or grieving the loss of a loved one.
Patient and Family Support Services - provide patients and families with emotional support, practical assistance, respite and friendly visiting.
Bereavement Support - offers support groups, individual and family counseling, peer support and education to promote the healing process.
Assistance for the Caregiver - includes education and respite to ease the “burdens” of caring for a loved one.
All Camarillo Hospice services are provided free of charge.
Local Resources:
Camarillo Hospice
400 Rosewood Ave. Suite 102
Camarillo, CA 93010
Phone: (805) 389.6870
Camarillo Hospice - is a volunteer hospice and grief counseling center dedicated to the dignity of life by providing free care, comfort, support and counseling to individuals and families facing a life-limiting illness and/or grieving the loss of a loved one.
Patient and Family Support Services - provide patients and families with emotional support, practical assistance, respite and friendly visiting.
Bereavement Support - offers support groups, individual and family counseling, peer support and education to promote the healing process.
Assistance for the Caregiver - includes education and respite to ease the “burdens” of caring for a loved one.
All Camarillo Hospice services are provided free of charge.
Coping with grief and loss tip 1: Get support - The single most important factor in healing from loss is having the support of other people. Even if you aren’t comfortable talking about your feelings under normal circumstances, it’s important to express them when you’re grieving. Sharing your loss makes the burden of grief easier to carry. Wherever the support comes from, accept it and do not grieve alone. Connecting to others will help you heal.
Finding support after a loss
Turn to friends and family members - Now is the time to lean on the people who care about you, even if you take pride in being strong and self-sufficient. Draw loved ones close, rather than avoiding them, and accept the assistance that’s offered. Oftentimes, people want to help but don’t know how, so tell them what you need whether it’s a shoulder to cry on or help with funeral arrangements.
Draw comfort from your faith - If you follow a religious tradition, embrace the comfort its mourning rituals can provide. Spiritual activities that are meaningful to you—such as praying, meditating, or going to church—can offer solace. If you’re questioning your faith in the wake of the loss, talk to a clergy member or others in your religious community.
Join a support group - Grief can feel very lonely, even when you have loved ones around. Sharing your sorrow with others who have experienced similar losses can help. To find a bereavement support group in your area, contact local hospitals, hospices, funeral homes and counseling centers.
Talk to a therapist or grief counselor -If your grief feels like too much to bear, call a mental health professional with experience in grief counseling. An experienced therapist can help you work through intense emotions and overcome obstacles to your grieving.
Coping with grief and loss tip 2: Take care of yourself - When you’re grieving, it’s more important than ever to take care of yourself. The stress of a major loss can quickly deplete your energy and emotional reserves. Looking after your physical and emotional needs will help you get through this difficult time.
Face your feelings - You can try to suppress your grief, but you can’t avoid it forever. In order to heal, you have to acknowledge the pain. Trying to avoid feelings of sadness and loss only prolongs the grieving process. Unresolved grief can also lead to complications such as depression, anxiety, substance abuse and health problems.
Express your feelings in a tangible or creative way - Write about your loss in a journal. If you’ve lost a loved one, write a letter saying the things you never got to say; make a scrapbook or photo album celebrating the person’s life; or get involved in a cause or organization that was important to him or her.
Look after your physical health - The mind and body are connected. When you feel good physically, you’ll also feel better emotionally. Combat stress and fatigue by getting enough sleep, eating right and exercising. Don’t use alcohol or drugs to numb the pain of grief or lift your mood artificially.
Don’t let anyone tell you how to feel, and don’t tell yourself how to feel either - Your grief is your own, and no one else can tell you when it’s time to “move on” or “get over it.” Let yourself feel whatever you feel without embarrassment or judgment. It’s okay to be angry, to yell at the heavens, to cry or not to cry. It’s also okay to laugh, to find moments of joy and to let go when you’re ready.
Plan ahead for grief "triggers" - Anniversaries, holidays and milestones can reawaken memories and feelings. Be prepared for an emotional wallop and know that it’s completely normal. If you’re sharing a holiday or life cycle event with other relatives, talk to them ahead of time about their expectations and agree on strategies to honor the person you loved.
For more useful tips, click: HelpGuide.org.
Finding support after a loss
Turn to friends and family members - Now is the time to lean on the people who care about you, even if you take pride in being strong and self-sufficient. Draw loved ones close, rather than avoiding them, and accept the assistance that’s offered. Oftentimes, people want to help but don’t know how, so tell them what you need whether it’s a shoulder to cry on or help with funeral arrangements.
Draw comfort from your faith - If you follow a religious tradition, embrace the comfort its mourning rituals can provide. Spiritual activities that are meaningful to you—such as praying, meditating, or going to church—can offer solace. If you’re questioning your faith in the wake of the loss, talk to a clergy member or others in your religious community.
Join a support group - Grief can feel very lonely, even when you have loved ones around. Sharing your sorrow with others who have experienced similar losses can help. To find a bereavement support group in your area, contact local hospitals, hospices, funeral homes and counseling centers.
Talk to a therapist or grief counselor -If your grief feels like too much to bear, call a mental health professional with experience in grief counseling. An experienced therapist can help you work through intense emotions and overcome obstacles to your grieving.
Coping with grief and loss tip 2: Take care of yourself - When you’re grieving, it’s more important than ever to take care of yourself. The stress of a major loss can quickly deplete your energy and emotional reserves. Looking after your physical and emotional needs will help you get through this difficult time.
Face your feelings - You can try to suppress your grief, but you can’t avoid it forever. In order to heal, you have to acknowledge the pain. Trying to avoid feelings of sadness and loss only prolongs the grieving process. Unresolved grief can also lead to complications such as depression, anxiety, substance abuse and health problems.
Express your feelings in a tangible or creative way - Write about your loss in a journal. If you’ve lost a loved one, write a letter saying the things you never got to say; make a scrapbook or photo album celebrating the person’s life; or get involved in a cause or organization that was important to him or her.
Look after your physical health - The mind and body are connected. When you feel good physically, you’ll also feel better emotionally. Combat stress and fatigue by getting enough sleep, eating right and exercising. Don’t use alcohol or drugs to numb the pain of grief or lift your mood artificially.
Don’t let anyone tell you how to feel, and don’t tell yourself how to feel either - Your grief is your own, and no one else can tell you when it’s time to “move on” or “get over it.” Let yourself feel whatever you feel without embarrassment or judgment. It’s okay to be angry, to yell at the heavens, to cry or not to cry. It’s also okay to laugh, to find moments of joy and to let go when you’re ready.
Plan ahead for grief "triggers" - Anniversaries, holidays and milestones can reawaken memories and feelings. Be prepared for an emotional wallop and know that it’s completely normal. If you’re sharing a holiday or life cycle event with other relatives, talk to them ahead of time about their expectations and agree on strategies to honor the person you loved.
For more useful tips, click: HelpGuide.org.
How to talk to Kids Resources:
Child Development Institute Parenting Today:
Parent Tips: Death and Grieving Pathfinders for Autism:
Fox News Health:
Other Resources and Links:
Baby Steps
About BabySteps, Bereavement Rooms, Remembrance Room and Guestbook.
Bereaved Parents of the USA
Information for families, regardless of age of child.
Compassion Books
Books on many kinds of loss for all ages.
Grief Watch
Information, resources, memorial products and links.
Growth House, Inc.
Information and referral services related to end of life, grief resources.
MISSFoundation
Support for grieving families when a child has died.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Tips for talking with students, families, schools and others in the wake of a traumatic event.
TAPS
Tragedy Assistance Program For Survivors
Support for families of military death.
The Dougy Center
The National Center for Grieving Children & Families
Information and articles on children's grief that can be accessed.
Child Development Institute Parenting Today:
Parent Tips: Death and Grieving Pathfinders for Autism:
Fox News Health:
Other Resources and Links:
Baby Steps
About BabySteps, Bereavement Rooms, Remembrance Room and Guestbook.
Bereaved Parents of the USA
Information for families, regardless of age of child.
Compassion Books
Books on many kinds of loss for all ages.
Grief Watch
Information, resources, memorial products and links.
Growth House, Inc.
Information and referral services related to end of life, grief resources.
MISSFoundation
Support for grieving families when a child has died.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Tips for talking with students, families, schools and others in the wake of a traumatic event.
TAPS
Tragedy Assistance Program For Survivors
Support for families of military death.
The Dougy Center
The National Center for Grieving Children & Families
Information and articles on children's grief that can be accessed.