Hope Bereavement Center
Hope Bereavement Center
At Hope Bereavement Center, our goal is to not only support families in the grief process, but to help them feel enriched by it. Grief has that capacity to transform people in very positive ways. To fulfill this outcome we provide individual counseling, support groups, and annual healing events.
One-on-one counseling is conducted by trained bereavement counselors who either hold masters level credentials or are working towards them in Marriage Family Therapy, Social Work, or a Masters of Divinity. We use a myriad of interventions such as Client Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, EMDR (specialized), Expressive Arts Therapy, and Solution Focused Therapy.
Our support groups are facilitated by bereavement counselors and provide a safe environment to share personal experiences and be supported by others. We host and co-sponsor groups at our office in Carlsbad, or at other facilities such as churches and retirement communities. See our list of current groups by clicking the link.
Grief, Mourning, and Bereavement
Grief is a natural, normal response to loss. The experience is highly personal based on one’s own unique perceptions of loss. Grief affects us physiologically, socially, emotionally, cognitively and spiritually. It is the process that allows us to let go and prepare for that which is yet to come.
Mourning is Grief expressed to the long-term adaptation to loss. It is more than grief; it includes the reorienting in relation to the deceased, the self, and the external world. The work that brings a re-investment in life.
Bereavement is the state of having suffered a loss. The words “bereave” and “rob” derive from the same root word, which implies an unwilling deprivation by force.
Grief is a natural process and while some people prefer to process it alone, it is unnecessary to do so. Grief counseling supports an individual or family through their grieving process.
What Does Grief Counseling Look Like?
Grief is a natural process, and it is natural to let it take its course and go it alone, but it is unnecessary. Grief counseling can support you in the process of grief, so that you can grieve in a safe environment with someone who understands your experience and has the experience to walk with you through this difficult time.
The intensity of grief has the ability to emotionally “crack you open like a walnut” leaving you vulnerable and confused. You may be concerned at what is happening to you, and more concerned at what to do about it. In counseling, you will be provided a safe and confidential environment, where you are respected and encouraged to explore the entire range of thoughts and emotions brought forth by grief.
Through this unique relationship, you will learn how to be with these difficult thoughts and feelings, and make sense of them in your own way. Ultimately the counselor will support you in adjusting to the changes in your life, and assist you in navigating in discovering who you are, what you want to be, and the path you want to take to get there.
Grief Support Groups
We offer several types of support groups in our local community. They are designed to provide comfort through the grieving process and are led by a trained facilitator. Group members learn about the process of grief and are encouraged to share their loss and reflect on their experience as they listen to others. The group process is a way to give time to grieve in such a way that individuals feel safe in the presence of others that are sharing a similar experience, though each in their own way. It gives rise to the uniqueness of an individual’s experience and the experience of others.
EMDR
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a psychotherapy that enables people to heal from the symptoms and emotional distress that are the result of disturbing life experiences. Repeated studies show that by using EMDR people can experience the benefits of psychotherapy that once took years to make a difference. (See also: EMDR FAQs)
Remember Me Bear Program
Remember a loved one with a hand-sewn memory bear. Our volunteers create these customized keepsakes using special articles of clothing from the loved one who has passed. Bring us a favorite shirt, military uniform, sports team gear – anything that holds special meaning. Turn-around time is six weeks.
Bereavement Information:
- When to Use Our Services
- How Children and Adolescents Grieve
- Losing a Spouse
- Losing a Child
- Teens and Grief
- The Six Reconciliation Needs of Mourning Children
- Helping Children and Teens Cope with Death
- Similarities/Differences Between Child and Adult Grief Process
- Parenting During Times of Stress and Loss
- A Message to Survivors
- 12 Month Bereavement Newsletter
Bereavement Resources
For more information about bereavement support, see our Grief Groups page or call us at 760.431.4100 and ask for the Hope Bereavement Center.