BIDDEFORD — For those who have lost a loved one, it’s certainly difficult to face the future alone.

Although friends, family and neighbors offer their support, many people dealing with loss either through a death, a divorce or estrangement from children or siblings feel lost, bewildered and don’t really know where to turn. This can often lead to bouts of depression and prolonged periods of isolation.

To address this issue in the community, Good Shepherd Parish will sponsor a 26-week Grief Share program starting next week to help parishioners overcome tragic losses in their lives.

Parish representatives say the Grief Share program will be a friendly, caring group who will walk alongside individuals as they face one of life’s most difficult experiences. 

The program provides support, comfort and guidance as participants search for understanding and healing. 

Typically offered as a 13-week program, Good Shepherd Parish, which is comprised of Catholic churches in Biddeford (including Biddeford Pool), Saco, Lyman and Old Orchard Beach, will extend Grief Share presentations into next year with an array of options.   

Each week, participants will receive biblical-based support through prayer, video presentations focused on each session (with professional, religious and personal witnesses), and group discussion where they will share with others who are experiencing grief from their own lives. 
 
It also includes a new grieving program plus a “Surviving the Holidays Session” that focuses on specific topics and addresses ways that individuals may walk though the grieving journey.  

Grief Share groups meet weekly to help people face their respective challenges and move toward rebuilding their lives.

Each Grief Share session has three distinct elements including a video seminar with experts, a supportive group discussion and time for personal study and reflection.

The video seminars feature leading experts talking about grief and recovery subjects. The videos are produced in a TV magazine-style format with expert interviews, real-life case studies, dramatic reenactments, and on-location video.

Support group discussions follow each video presentation and participants spend time together as a support group to discuss what was presented in that week’s video seminar and the relevance to their own situations.

Personal study and reflection is achieved with participants completing a workbook to process their grief and sort out their emotions through use of a journal.

The first Grief Share programs start Oct. 5 and run through May 3, 2018.  

For more information or to register to participate, call 282-3321.

— Executive Editor Ed Pierce can be reached at 282-1535 ext. 326 or by email at editor@journaltribune.com.