Write to us at hope@griefHaven.org or call us at 310-459-1789

To consider . . .

Has anyone ever been able to meet any goal that is monumental, difficult or challenging alone? The answer is no. It's virtually impossible. And what could be more monumental, challenging, or difficult than learning how to go on in life after your child has died?

Look back in your own life to anything that you have accomplished. Did you go to college? Did you start a business? How about having children and building a family? Did you search for just the right partner? Did you climb the ladder of success professionally? Have you ever had to work with someone who was difficult? What about those times in life where you were passionate about a cause? How about loving someone where there is dissention and a need to "work it out?" Did you rise to any of those challenges all by yourself? Did you accomplish any of those goals alone? Of course not. All along in life, we have at least someone who was instrumental in helping us "get there."

So what about when our child dies? In the beginning, it is unthinkable that rebuilding our lives without them could actually end up being a “goal” that we have to commit to and a commitment we have to make. Yet, that is truly what this is, and part of finding our way is using all of the resources and tools available to us so that we will “know” what works and doesn’t. One of those tools is spending time with others like you on a regular basis so you get to know one another and each others’ children.

At griefHaven, we provide loving, gentle, and hopeful support in many forms, but also in the form of support groups and private grief counseling.Our founder and president, Susan Whitmore, as well as some of our Advisory Board members, specialize in grief counseling. As parents who have also lost a child, our time together is precious because we understand each other’s journey. Our support groups are not what are called “open” groups, which mean that people come and go as they feel up to it; rather, you begin with a group of parents and stay with those same parents throughout the life of your group. Compassionate Friends already provides an open forum for grief support, so we wanted to provide something different.

For more information on our support groups, meeting times and openings, please Write to us at hope@griefHaven.org or call us at 310-459-1789