Issue link: https://fredparent.uberflip.com/i/1541970
www.FredericksburgParent.NET 9 Grief can feel isolating, but connection brings comfort. At Mary Washington Healthcare, the Grief Support Services team helps families find understanding and strength together. Beaven said that children often don't grieve in the same way that adults do. Especially in younger children, they may still play and seem relatively fine from the outside, but their play is how they process grief, and it often includes exploring themes like death. Regressive behaviors, such as a child starting to suck their thumb or wet the bed again, as well as outbursts of strong emotions, can also be observable forms of grieving in children. Another misconception of grief, when it comes to both grieving children and adults, is that it is time-constrained. Beaven said, "Our expectation is that at some magical time, our grief will disappear, and that's not what most people experience. Most people, when they think about that person who has died…still feel the pain of that very intensely, but because we're moving forward and we're taking steps to reinvest in life, our life is getting bigger, so those pain points are less frequent." She continued, "Now, we do learn to cope, and we do learn to adjust, but it takes a long time, and there's no right or wrong timeframe." In fact, Beaven noted that many people who contact her looking for grief support are those who lost someone years prior – it doesn't have to be a recent loss. Whether navigating loss yourself or supporting someone who is, connection can make all the dif- ference. Learn more about Mary Washington Healthcare Grief Support Services' support groups, school programs, children's camps, and community educa- tion by visiting: https://www.marywashingtonhealthcare.com/our- services/hospice/grief-support-services/ or by contacting Mary Beaven via email at: mary.beaven@mwhc.com or phone at 540-205-0502. In addition to providing educational resources, Mary Washington Health- care Grief Support Ser- vices offers no-cost access to grief support groups, camps, and school groups, which is largely made pos- sible due to the donations of generous community partners. Loss-specific support groups are avail- able for children, adults, and whole families, and are open to the greater community, not just those affiliated with Mary Wash- ington Healthcare. Beaven emphasized the importance of connec- tion, which these sup- port groups and camps provide, when navigat- ing grief. "Grief is very isolating," said Beaven. "Finding connection removes that sense of isolation. Being in a room with people who actually understand…is one of the most healing parts of this grief work." She continued, "While grief is unique in that we're all going to experience loss differently, we are able to come together through some of these common themes of grief." She went on to say that the support groups are a safe place for people to express themselves openly and hon- estly. She emphasized that people are not failing if they ask for help and that one can be both resilient and vulner- able. She said, "I am a strong person, I am a resilient per- son, and I cry sometimes because this hurts."