Survivors of Suicide Support Group
Recovery following the loss of a loved one to suicide is a painful and complicated journey through grief. Coming to terms with loss can be very difficult when faced alone. Regardless of the age, relationship or tragic circumstances surrounding their loss, there are others who understand.
Now survivors in Worcester County are not alone. The Jesse Klump Memorial Scholarship Fund and the Worcester County Health Department have partnered to host monthly support group meetings for those left behind by suicide. Meetings are being held at 6 p.m. on the third Wednesday each month at the Berlin Office of the Health Department, 9730 Healthway Drive adjacent to Atlantic General Hospital. Meetings are conducted by a trained facilitator and a licensed social worker.
“We wanted to create a welcoming place of compassion and understanding,” said scholarship fund President Kim Klump, who lost her son to suicide in 2009. “It can be a huge relief to talk openly about suicide with people who really understand.” Kim trained in support group management through a program sponsored by the America Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
Anyone who has lost a friend or family member is invited to attend at no cost. Support group meetings are casual, attended only by survivors and facilitators.
“Family members and friends often feel stigmatized because suicide is not a topic most people are comfortable discussing,” said Alisa Crockett, a licensed clinical social worker who supervises the Worcester County Health Department’s Suicide Prevention Program. “This can lead to feelings of isolation as individuals attempt to manage their grief and pain alone. We are very pleased to be partnering with the JKMSF to provide this service to the families in our community who have suffered a loss due to suicide.”
