Santa Cruz County residents are welcome to join Heal Together, a program of Coastal Kids Home Care, which is hosting “Support After Homicide, Suicide, and Accidental Death” group sessions via Telehealth and in person and facilitated by retired attorney Karen Judd Lewis.
This Heal Together group is designed to connect individuals with other people who have experienced similar losses. As a group, you’ll feel less isolated, more willing to voice what you’re going through, and hear how others are trying to manage their grief.
The support group meets weekly: Tuesdays virtually from 5-6:30 p.m.; and Wednesdays in person from 10-11:30 a.m. at Coastal Kids Home Care: 427 Pajaro St. Suite 1-3, in Salinas. For a link, call (831) 320-0947.
Grief is overwhelming. Grieving a death by homicide or suicide or an accidental death is often more complicated, confusing, and bewildering. Survivors often confront emotions like guilt, shame, and anger every time they think about or answer questions concerning their loss.
Everyone’s grief journey is their own and everyone experiences grief differently. Talking with people in similar circumstances will help you find comfort, recognition and affirmation as you move forward.
Lewis is a retired lawyer, the mother of two children and married for nearly 40 years. Born in California, raised in Oregon, she studied art history, worked on Capitol Hill, growing up professionally among dedicated federal legislators and staff. She met her husband, Jeffrey, on the Hill, and together they returned to the West Coast and went to law school at night while working for Oregon state government during the day.
She then returned to Washington, D.C., where she was a lawyer lobbyist in a law firm in which she eventually became a partner. Her final professional position took her to a Fortune 500 company as head of public policy.
The Heal Together Hub is a central source of information on community resources to respond to grief, loss, and anxiety. See heal-together.org.
About Heal Together
Through a $1.1 million grant from HG Foundation, CKHC initiated Heal Together services in early December 2021, aiming to turn the tide of loss toward a future of renewal. It’s a wide-ranging, bilingual project that combines experienced mental health professionals and trusted community agencies to face an extraordinary need for healing and hope.
Heal Together includes:
The Heal Together Hub, a central source of information on community resources to respond to grief, loss and anxiety. Services include: bereavement groups with trained facilitators (available for all ages and in English and Spanish); counseling with a licensed professional; and expressive therapies for children, with more services to come, including Grief Yoga.
Community-wide outreach to ensure individuals of all backgrounds have access to quality information on grief.
Opportunities for licensed professionals and community volunteers to undergo training in grief and bereavement.
More than 700 Monterey County residents have died from COVID-19. Loved ones left behind — children and teens, older adults, and low-income groups — have experienced depression and anxiety.
While grief is different for everyone, dealing with loss can take a toll on mental health. Feelings of sadness, anger, loneliness, and hopelessness are all common emotions that people experience during the grieving process. These emotions may vary in severity, and for some, may be overwhelming.
While the journey toward acceptance is different for everyone, some people may take longer to get there than others. Along that path, some will begin to feel the effects of grief on mental health, some even developing clinical depression.
The mental health effects of grief can negatively impact a person’s actions and behaviors as well. When people are struggling and neglect to get treatment, they may engage in dangerous or risky behavior.
Prompt and qualified intervention and support are crucial for those suffering from grief.
With 15+ years of experience caring for children with serious illness and those facing end-of-life, Coastal Kids Home Care has prioritized bereavement care to help parents and siblings heal after loss.
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Common Symptoms of Chronic Grief
- Prolonged sadness on a daily basis
- Extreme focus on the loss
- Neglecting daily responsibilities because of depression
- No motivation to interact with people or attend social events
- Detachment from friends and family
- Difficulty accepting the loss after ample time has passed
- Intense emotions such as anger and pain
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To learn more, visit coastalkidshomecare.org.
