When a loved one dies and condolence visits from family and friends have dwindled, often the bereaved are left trying to piece their lives back together. For those grieving the loss of a loved one, the holidays can be an especially difficult time.

Blue Ridge Hospice’s Grief Support Staff is offering workshops in Winchester and Front Royal throughout November designed to help individuals and families prepare for a holiday season without their loved one. All grief support offerings are open to the public and free of charge.

“The reason we offer these workshops is because every year around October we see an increase in people seeking grief counseling.” explains Christina Thomas, a Blue Ridge Hospice Grief Support Counselor, “The holidays are when we take time to be with our loved ones. It’s where we have a lot of our memories of family. We recognize the need to talk about how grief may look different during this time of year.”

Surviving the Holiday workshops are for adults and will occur on November 12, 2019 in Front Royal and November 21, 2019 in Winchester, VA. Preparing for the Holidays as a Family workshop is for families with children ages 4-17. Using music and other activities, families will have the opportunity to identify and work through feelings associated with their loss in preparation of the holiday season. All holiday workshops require pre-registration by calling 540-313-9214 or emailing info@blueridgehospice.org.

Thomas states, “In these workshops we focus on creating a plan. Instead of focusing on the holidays being ‘easier’ we want you to feel they are possible. That although you are grieving, you can get through them in the way that you want and the way that makes the most sense to you.”

Blue Ridge Hospice’s Grief Support Services are made possible through generous donations from the community.

Click here for a full list of current Grief Support Offerings