Grief Support Groups

Renewed Horizons

Gateway Wellness Collective is proud to present a grief support group entitled “Renewed Horizons” to help people navigate through difficult moments of loss. Loss is not just limited to the passing of a loved one, but also encompasses the end of relationships, the loss of a home, the loss of pets and so much more. When these pile up, it becomes difficult to take in the ‘good’ moments. We hope that this group therapy setting can give clients the space that they need to feel relief and get out of that ‘stuck’ feeling.

The Grief Support Groups are directed by Joëlle Myre. She is a Registered Psychotherapist (qualifying) through the CRPO. Since becoming a registered psychotherapist, Joëlle has been working with grief, bereavement and different types of loss. She takes the time to learn about each group member’s story and seeks to deepen the individual’s understanding of their emotions. As she uncovers the roots, she hopes that this will make room for light to shine and for new growth to take place. Take a look at her upcoming grief groups if this is something that you or someone you know may need.

To learn more about Joëlle, visit our teams page.

Joëlle Myre

Hon. BFA, MACP, RP (Qualifying)

Details

  • Gateway Wellness Collective’s Grief Group consists of 6, 2hour sessions. 1 session occurring every week, for a total of 6 weeks. The sessions take place in-person on Tuesday evenings from 6:30pm-8:30pm.

    Spaces are limited! You MUST be registered to participate.

  • There are currently no definitive dates for the group. We encourage that interested members contact Gateway Wellness Collective for any questions and to register.

  • Cost: 450$ for the entirety of the group.

    *This includes 12 hours of psychotherapy.

    *A payment schedule may be offered to accommodate each individual on their healing journey.

    Grief groups are a great way to receive psychotherapy services specialized in grief, and are overall very cost effective.

  • Please contact Gateway Wellness Collective for further inquiries or to register at: 705-474-7222 or gatewaywellnesscollective@gmail.com

    • Cost effective service. Twelve hours of individual psychotherapy is over twice the price.

    • A group setting allows for validation, and brings back a sense of community to an individual.

    • The group focuses on a specialized theme, in this case: grief.

    • A professional that is well-versed in the grief types, grief cycles, emotions and transformations leads the groups.

    • Specific insightful exercises takes place to allow the individual to create connections and to understand their growth. This process is not comparable to the other group members, but seeing how another is processing and what is working with them in their active grief, can present alternative perspectives and approaches to the felt grief.

Different Types of Grief

Traumatic Grief

This type of grief may occur following a violent or sudden loss. This can also be felt when a young person dies.

Disenfranchised Grief

This occurs when the person grieving feels as though they cannot grieve openly due to stigma, leading that person to grieve silently, unable to speak.

Anticipatory Grief

This is the type of grief you experience when you are waiting or anticipating a loss.

Absent Grief

Where a person shows few or no signs of grieving, as though blocked.

Delayed Grief

This happens when someone does not process grief right away. Grief can be experienced months or even years later.

Complicated Grief

Chronic, intense grief that disrupts everyday life. This usually requires professional help to resolve and feels like it worsens with time as it often feels like one loss on top of another.

Chronic Grief/ Prolonged Grief

A feeling of grief that does not subside. Often requires professional help to resolve. Lasting for 12 months or longer.

Cumulative Grief

When a current loss may dredge up feelings of a loss that happened in the past.

Why choose GWC with your grief

Joëlle has prepared sessions that will help guide the journey in finding new horizons. She follows the needs of the group and makes space for what the members are collectively asking or wanting to learn more about. Although this approach is a client-centered one, she brings in tools from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Emotions-Focused Therapy (EFT), Trauma Informed Therapy, Compassion Therapy and more.

Joëlle focuses on establishing connections to the present moment by talking about mindfulness practices. She spends time building resilience and strength in emotion regulation and inquires on each client’s coping through the waves of grief that can often be overwhelming. You can also expect to have some psychoeducation along the way with some reflective modules that you can bring home to work on in-between sessions.

At Gateway Wellness Collective, we strive to provide long-term and long-lasting tools to help the client get back to a happier version of themselves.

Brief structure of sessions

Renewed Horizons

Session 1: Settling-in and identifying my grief.

Our first gathering will be centered on creating a safe space for all present members. A few ice-breakers will be initiated that help normalize everyone’s journey towards their aspired horizon. If you don’t know what the future looks like yet, that’s ok, we can discover it together. We will create a baseline for where the client stands, and where they hope to be by getting to know a little about their story and the losses that have left an impression.

Session 2: Diving in.

This session is really the first session where the clients will be encouraged to share within their means, and to invite outsider respectful reflections to their areas of struggle. Here we will spend time discovering which stage of grief you are caught up in. We will also discuss mindfulness, the practice of spending time in the present-moment and ensure that you are leaning on healthy and helpful coping mechanisms. 

Stage 1: Denial

Stage 2: Anger

Stage 3: Bargaining

Stage 4: Depression

Stage 5: Acceptance

Session 3: Mind and body.

This session, the clients are going to explore the different things that have happened to them as they have gone through their loss. Perhaps there is still some mind-fog, body soreness or other. This is normal, but let’s take some time to talk about it, and about things that can be done to help along the way.

Session 4: Themes and images.

This session is typically one that goes deeper and uncovers the roots that connect the felt grief to other events that have happened in the client’s past. Experiences shape the way that people view and accept the world around them, and this includes loss. What are some things that keep bringing back these memories?  What are some things that can be changed to accommodate this new version of yourself and minimize the things that can offset the entire day.

Session 5: Reflections.

This is a time reserved to connect the dots. This is where we can start contemplating about the future. Are there perhaps things that need to change? Setting boundaries is going to be a part of this session’s mission. Let’s start reconnecting in a healthy way that feels right and accommodates the client’s limitations.

Session 6: Moving towards acceptance.

This final session is about closure. Some of the ice breakers that were brought forward in the first session are brought back in the hopes to show growth. This is where we spend time finding meaning again and purpose. It is with great intention that the client becomes more aware about what is waiting for them, that slow or small growth is still growth, and that it is ‘OK’ for them to renew their view of the future and of a clear horizon beyond the grief and sadness.

I am interested to register, or am looking for more information, contact us at: 705-474-7222, or by email at: gatewaywellnesscollective@gmail.com