The Efficacy of Adult Christian Support Groups in Coping with the Death of a Significant Loved One

Herbert Goodman; Mark H. Stone

doi:10.1007/s10943-008-9201-2

Need support?

10.13056/acamh.14352 ◽

2021 ◽

Keyword(s):

Support Groups ◽

Expert Advice ◽

Loved One ◽

Need Support ◽

Time Of Year ◽

Personal Advice

This time of year can be particularly difficult for some people, especially given the year we have experienced. Whilst ACAMH cannot offer personal advice, we do urge you to reach out if you are concerned about yourself or a loved one, these helplines and support groups can offer expert advice. Do not suffer in silence, reach out. Wishing you a safe and peaceful time.

Download Full-text

How do you build your care team?

10.1093/oso/9780190098124.003.0015 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 221-236

Author(s):

Andrew E. Budson ◽

Maureen K. O’Connor

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Support Groups ◽

Emotional Support ◽

Respite Care ◽

Care Team ◽

Loved One ◽

Overnight Stay ◽

National Organizations ◽

Day Program

No one person can manage the demands of dementia alone. Building a strong care team early following a diagnosis is critical to your wellbeing and to providing your loved one with the best care. By reaching out to family, friends, neighbors, and professional caregivers, you can limit your burden, reduce your feelings of isolation, and create a healthier environment for you and your loved one. Your loved one’s doctor should be a source of help as well. Support groups can provide you with information and important skills in addition to emotional support. Whether as a day program or overnight stay, respite care may be an invaluable resource for you. National organizations dedicated to Alzheimer’s disease and dementia can also be an invaluable resource.

Download Full-text

Potential Use of Ayahuasca in Grief Therapy

OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying ◽

10.1177/0030222817710879 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 79 (3) ◽

pp. 260-285 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Débora González ◽

María Carvalho ◽

Jordi Cantillo ◽

Marc Aixalá ◽

Magí Farré

Keyword(s):

Peer Support ◽

Support Groups ◽

Experiential Avoidance ◽

Preliminary Data ◽

Empirical Support ◽

Therapeutic Tool ◽

Loved One ◽

Grief Therapy ◽

Qualitative Responses ◽

Potential Use

The death of a loved one is ultimately a universal experience. However, conventional interventions employed for people suffering with uncomplicated grief have gathered little empirical support. The present study aimed to explore the potential effects of ayahuasca on grief. We compared 30 people who had taken ayahuasca with 30 people who had attended peer-support groups, measuring level of grief and experiential avoidance. We also examined themes in participant responses to an open-ended question regarding their experiences with ayahuasca. The ayahuasca group presented a lower level of grief in the Present Feelings Scale of Texas Revised Inventory of Grief, showing benefits in some psychological and interpersonal dimensions. Qualitative responses described experiences of emotional release, biographical memories, and experiences of contact with the deceased. Additionally, some benefits were identified regarding the ayahuasca experiences. These results provide preliminary data about the potential of ayahuasca as a therapeutic tool in treatments for grief.

Download Full-text

What Do the Bereaved by Suicide Communicate in Online Support Groups?

Crisis ◽

10.1027/0227-5910/a000225 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 35 (1) ◽

pp. 27-35 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Marijke Schotanus-Dijkstra ◽

Petra Havinga ◽

Wouter van Ballegooijen ◽

Lynn Delfosse ◽

Jan Mokkenstorm ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Support Groups ◽

Health Care Services ◽

Social Stigma ◽

Mental Illnesses ◽

Online Forums ◽

Loved One ◽

Care Services ◽

Self Help ◽

Personal Experiences

Background: Every year, more than six million people lose a loved one through suicide. These bereaved by suicide are at relatively high risk for mental illnesses including suicide. The social stigma attached to suicide often makes it difficult to talk about grief. Participating in online forums may be beneficial for the bereaved by suicide, but it is unknown what they communicate in these forums. Aims: What do the bereaved by suicide communicate in online forums? We examined which self-help mechanisms, grief reactions, and experiences with health-care services they shared online. Method: We conducted a content analysis of 1,250 messages from 165 members of two Dutch language forums for the bereaved by suicide. Results: We found that sharing personal experiences featured most prominently in the messages, often with emotional expressions of grief. Other frequently used self-help mechanisms were expressions of support or empathy, providing advice, and universality (recognition), while experiences with health-care services featured only occasionally. Compared with previous studies about online forums for somatic illnesses, the bereaved by suicide communicated more personal experiences and engaged much less in chitchat. Conclusion: Online forums appear to have relevant additional value as a platform for talking about grief and finding support.

Download Full-text

How do you build your care team?

Six Steps to Managing Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia ◽

10.1093/med/9780190098124.003.0015 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 221-236

Author(s):

Andrew E. Budson ◽

Maureen K. O’Connor

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Support Groups ◽

Emotional Support ◽

Respite Care ◽

Care Team ◽

Loved One ◽

Overnight Stay ◽

National Organizations ◽

Day Program

No one person can manage the demands of dementia alone. Building a strong care team early following a diagnosis is critical to your wellbeing and to providing your loved one with the best care. By reaching out to family, friends, neighbors, and professional caregivers, you can limit your burden, reduce your feelings of isolation, and create a healthier environment for you and your loved one. Your loved one’s doctor should be a source of help as well. Support groups can provide you with information and important skills in addition to emotional support. Whether as a day program or overnight stay, respite care may be an invaluable resource for you. National organizations dedicated to Alzheimer’s disease and dementia can also be an invaluable resource.

Download Full-text

Group Experiences and Individual Differences in Stuttering

Journal of Speech Language and Hearing Research ◽

10.1044/2019_jslhr-19-00138 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 62 (12) ◽

pp. 4335-4350 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Seth E. Tichenor ◽

J. Scott Yaruss

Keyword(s):

Individual Differences ◽

Support Groups ◽

Support Group ◽

Affective States ◽

Life Outcomes ◽

Self Help ◽

Wide Range ◽

Group Experiences ◽

History Of ◽

Adults Who Stutter

Purpose This study explored group experiences and individual differences in the behaviors, thoughts, and feelings perceived by adults who stutter. Respondents' goals when speaking and prior participation in self-help/support groups were used to predict individual differences in reported behaviors, thoughts, and feelings. Method In this study, 502 adults who stutter completed a survey examining their behaviors, thoughts, and feelings in and around moments of stuttering. Data were analyzed to determine distributions of group and individual experiences. Results Speakers reported experiencing a wide range of both overt behaviors (e.g., repetitions) and covert behaviors (e.g., remaining silent, choosing not to speak). Having the goal of not stuttering when speaking was significantly associated with more covert behaviors and more negative cognitive and affective states, whereas a history of self-help/support group participation was significantly associated with a decreased probability of these behaviors and states. Conclusion Data from this survey suggest that participating in self-help/support groups and having a goal of communicating freely (as opposed to trying not to stutter) are associated with less negative life outcomes due to stuttering. Results further indicate that the behaviors, thoughts, and experiences most commonly reported by speakers may not be those that are most readily observed by listeners.

Download Full-text

Stuttering-Related Podcasts: Audio-Based Self-Help for People Who Stutter

Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups ◽

10.1044/2020_persp-20-00014 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 5 (5) ◽

pp. 1131-1138

Author(s):

Lauren E. Dignazio ◽

Megan M. Kenny ◽

Erik X. Raj ◽

Kyle D. Pelkey

Keyword(s):

Support Groups ◽

Support Group ◽

Online Survey ◽

Multiple Choice ◽

Speech Language Pathologists ◽

Group Leaders ◽

Self Help ◽

Group Members

Purpose It is known that people who stutter (PWS) benefit from self-help experiences, such as attending support groups or conferences. However, limited research has been done to explore the listening of stuttering-related podcasts as a form of self-help for PWS. This study seeks to understand the reasons why PWS listen to stuttering-related podcasts and provide descriptions of their listening experiences. Method Thirty-three PWS who have listened to stuttering-related podcasts were recruited to participate in an online survey that included multiple-choice and open-ended questions. Responses were analyzed and grouped into descriptive themes. Results Participants reported listening to stuttering-related podcasts as a way to gain information and perspective. They also reported experiences that fit themes of empowerment and camaraderie, as a result of listening. Conclusions Stuttering-related podcasts seem to be a positive self-help tool for PWS. Stuttering support group leaders and/or speech-language pathologists may consider introducing their group members or clients who stutter to this type of audio-based self-help experience.

Download Full-text

Suicide-Bereaved Individuals’ Attitudes Toward Therapists

Crisis ◽

10.1027/0227-5910/a000290 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 36 (2) ◽

pp. 135-141 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Erin F. Ward-Ciesielski ◽

Madeline D. Wielgus ◽

Connor B. Jones

Keyword(s):

Mental Health Treatment ◽

Online Survey ◽

The United States ◽

Limited Attention ◽

Time Of Death ◽

Loved One ◽

Important Group ◽

Positive Attitudes ◽

Suicide Bereaved ◽

Research Domain

Background: Suicide-bereaved individuals represent an important group impacted by suicide. Understanding their experiences following the suicide of a loved one is an important research domain, despite receiving limited attention. Although suicide-bereaved individuals may benefit from mental health treatment, their attitudes toward therapy and therapists are poorly understood. Aims: The present study aimed to understand the extent to which bereaved individuals’ attitudes toward therapy and therapists are impacted by whether their loved one was in therapy at the time of death. Method: Suicide-bereaved individuals (N = 243) from the United States were recruited to complete an online survey about their experience with and attitudes toward therapy and therapists following the suicide of a loved one. Results: Bereaved individuals whose loved one was in therapy at the time of death (N = 48, 19.8%) reported more negative and less positive attitudes toward the treating therapist than those whose loved one was not in therapy at the time of death (N = 81, 33.3%) or whose loved one was never in therapy/the deceased’s therapy status was unknown (N = 114, 46.9%). Conclusion: The deceased’s involvement with a therapist appears to be an important factor impacting the experience of bereaved individuals and should be considered when attempting to engage these individuals in postvention.

Download Full-text