Grief is universal and yet also a completely individual experience. Some grief responses are common to all who undergo it. Understanding, preparing for, and dealing with these responses can be very helpful to people who experience the death of a loved one.
The Bereavement Department at Hospice of St. Mary's is committed to providing compassionate grief support to adults, teens, and families who are grieving the loss of a family member or close friend.
Our services
As an extension of the hospice philosophy, Hospice of St. Mary's offers grief support through our Bereavement Center, which encompasses the entire family as a unit of care. We offer services to families affected by a terminal illness and provide bereavement support after a death for up to 13 months. All services are provided by bereavement coordinators and trained volunteers. The center offers short-term grief support and education to:
- Surviving family members and loved ones of Hospice of St. Mary's patients
- Community members, organizations, and schools
- Individuals in the healthcare profession
What programs does the Bereavement Center offer?
Adults (age 18 and older)
- Short-term individual and/or family grief support
- Up to 13 months of contact with families of Hospice patients
- Referral resources and information for long-term support in community as available
- Support Groups and Workshops-. All programming is need based, please call to be added to a waitlist.
- Annual Service of Remembrance- This program offers hospice families and community members and opportunity to remember their loved ones in a supportive environment.
Children and Adolescents
- Child and Teen Support Groups: Designed for any children and teens who have lost a loved one through death. Registration is required, please call for details.
- Camp Sunrise: Is designed for grades K-12 graders who have experienced the death of a loved one in the last two years. This camp offers many forms of creative grief exploration, group support, and tangible coping skills for application.
Grief support groups
Grief support groups are created as needed to incorporate and address needs in the community. All grief services are free for community members. We ask only that those who are able to make a donation do so. Below are some of the groups we have offered in the past:
Workshops
These workshops are designed to be interactive and include many ways to process grief like creativity, movement, music, and nature. We offer various workshops during the year that are typically half-day in length.
Drop-in Groups
This monthly group is designed for anyone over the age of 18 who has experienced a loss. Losing a friend or family member is never easy and grief can often feel like an invisible injury. We invite you to join us in a safe space to share your grief experience or listen to the experience of others. These groups do not follow or use a curriculum, so each month is different
Surviving Spouses
This group is designed for anyone who has lost a significant other, partner, and/or spouse. Losing your person, companion, and teammate can leave a hole in your heart and support system. Please join us in sharing your grief experience or listen to the experience of others. This group is typically 6-8 weeks.
Loss of a Parent Group 18+
This group is designed for anyone who has lost a parent. Learning to live without your adult can create a shift in how the world feels and how you feel in the world. This unique loss comes at a variety of ages and life experiences. We invite you to share your loss experience and lend an ear to others in our community who have also lost their parent or parental figure. This group is typically 6 weeks long.
Grief Education and Training
Our coordinator is also available to do training and education seminars on how to support people who are grieving. Seminars can be done in person or virtually.
If you have any questions about our support groups please call 301-994-3023 or email our Bereavement Coordinator, Trish Watson at Patricia.S.Watson@medstar.net.
If you don't see a group that fits your needs, please don't hesitate to reach out to our bereavement team. Groups are offered on an as-need basis.