LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Often, when we lose a loved one, we don’t know where to turn for emotional support.

Hospice Services of Lake County’s Community Bereavement program recognizes that there is no single way through grief.

In response, the organization offers a variety of services to support adults as they navigate life after the loss of loved ones.

A free, ongoing drop-in grief and loss group facilitated by bereavement volunteer Ann Thomas meets Thursdays from 10 a.m. to noon in the Middletown Senior Center.

In confidential group sessions, the many aspects of grief and mourning are discussed. These include topics such as setting the intention to heal, dispelling the misconceptions of grief, the importance of self-care and nurturing, and the need for support from others.

After Thomas lost her husband four years ago, she joined a Hospice Services bereavement support group.

“I could not have imagined how this experience would change my life. I became a member of a bonded group of caring and compassionate people,” said Thomas.

“Group members were experiencing their own pain and yet they understood and empathized with mine,” Thomas said. “I came away knowing two things: I wanted to give back, and I needed to have a purpose going forward.”

Thomas became a local Hospice volunteer, becoming more committed to the importance of group counseling for the bereaved.

“I have always been one who comforts where there is a need, which is why I am so pleased for the opportunity to become trained as a facilitator for this bereavement counseling group,” she said.

“My hope is to offer comfort to those who have lost a loved one and help them understand the many and complex emotions that will assail them as they process their grief,” she added.

For information about the group meetings, call Kathleen Bradley at 707-263-6222, Extension 123.

Hospice Services of Lake County provides the highest quality medical, emotional and spiritual care to help patients and their families navigate their end-of-life journeys.

For more information, call Hospice Services of Lake County at 707-263-6222. Visit the organization’s website at www.lakecountyhospice.org.