Compassionate Conversations
Acknowledging the impact of loss on our lives
Compassionate Conversations is a short course designed to support people who are grieving the loss of a person or a “living loss”, such as the loss of health, a relationship or their independence.
Centred around conversation and the power of healing through shared experience, this course enables people to talk and process their loss, finding a way to cope with the losses they have suffered.
The Issue
An estimated 3 million people in the UK experience a bereavement every year. Loss is cumulative and it can include the loss of a loved one, health, independence, a relationship, your mobility, or memory.
Grief and loss has a profound impact on emotional, physical, mental, social and spiritual wellbeing. Grief is deeply individual, but its impact is universal. It affects people in varied and profound ways.
Healing doesn’t mean forgetting or “moving on”, but finding a way to continue living while carrying the memory of what was lost.
The Aims
To share your experience with others brings healing, hope, recognition and resilience.
During a chaplaincy visit to a care home, staff at Befriended discovered that many older people had suffered major bereavements such as the loss of their partner, but hadn’t had any opportunity to talk about their loss or their loved one.
The Course
The course has three sessions. Each session includes two conversations, with a break for tea and cake in between.
The topics of the three sessions are:
- Past and Present
- Grief and Gratitude
- Bereaved and Believe
These conversations help grieving people to transition from loss to acceptance, and finally to finding meaning. Allowing people a safe place to acknowledge their feelings of anger, guilt, denial, sadness and loneliness, helps them move towards a place of comfort and hope.
The Format
The course is delivered in small groups (maximum of eight people) by trained, licensed facilitators who have personally experienced loss and bereavement.
The course takes place in a supportive and comfortable environment. This enables people to relax and feel at ease, while addressing any needs related to memory loss, health limitations, and disabilities.
The first session includes an informal contract with participants, where people agree the need for confidentiality, respect and inclusion. This ensures that everyone feels comfortable and safe, and can contribute freely and benefit from each session.
There is a short time of reflection at the end of each session to enable people to ground themselves before returning to their day to day lives.
