The Compassionate Friends Victoria
What a privilege to hear directly from Ann, a volunteer with The Compassionate Friends Victoria. This excellent organization has been supporting bereaved people in Australia since 1993.
They offer a 24/7 help line. Ann is clear,- they are not trained Counsellors, they are Volunteers, and most have walked or walking the path of grief.
TCFV are based in Canterbury Vic, and have a healthy network of support groups, including social events ensuring folk who reach out to TCFV feel connected and not “alone” in their journey.
Key points Ann highlighted: Grief is
- a natural response to a significant loss
- manifests in a myriad of ways- anger- sadness, shock, despair, guilt…..
- physical manifestations: low energy, aches, pains, memory loss,
- there can be: a feeling of judgement, withdrawal, suicidal ideation, loss of community, catastrophising, anxiety, …..
Support workers are alerted to signs of Grief Vs Depression or prolonged symptoms that have not abated an therefore advise professional support in these circumstances.
GRIEF IS NOT LINEAR! A great message from Ann was that overtime our capacity to incorporate grief expands.
Take- away message to support the grieving: Avoid giving advice to the bereaved:
- Keep in touch
- Refer to the deceased by NAME
- It’s ok to say “I don’t know what to say!”
- Remove your expectation of what you think is normal!
Great work Ann, and thank you from all at Rotary Preston!