Grief Support

For people who have experienced the death of a loved one, the winter holiday season can be painful. Experiencing grief at this time may intensify feelings of loneliness from isolation, or anxiety about being asked how you are dealing with the loss of your loved one. Starr Hospice offers a fall workshop called Handling the Holidays to discuss healthy coping strategies.

For 2024, the dates are Wednesday, November 13, from 1 to 2:30 p.m.; and Wednesday, December 4, from 6 to 7:30 p.m.  Click here to complete the interest form, and our staff will get back to you with additional detail.

Our deepest relationships often become reference points for our lives. Our shared history of witnessing each other’s joys and sorrows form a unique and precious bond. Grieving such a significant loss is bittersweet. We feel gratitude for their life and example and we mourn what is gone. As with any relationship, there may also be unresolved pain or conflict that needs attention. What happens when we lose someone instrumental to the way we experience life? The General Grief group will discuss these issues and more as we look at the impact of loss in our daily lives. We will process through the many difficult emotions associated with a safe and welcoming space.

This eight-week support group for adults will discuss these issues and more as we contemplate the impact of loss in our daily lives. This group is intended for anyone experiencing the loss of a parent, family member, or friend. Please note, we have other groups available specifically for spouse/partner and child loss.

Click here to complete the interest form, and our staff will get back to you with 
additional detail.

This group will meet virtually, over Zoom. Our next session is January 14 – March 4 on Tuesdays, 6–7:30 p.m. If you cannot make these dates, use the contact form, or call (781) 832-0705 to be placed on the interest list for the following quarter.

When your partner dies, your whole world changes. You may find yourself facing questions like “What happened to the life I once knew?” From the way you meet the day to how you go to sleep at night, all the spaces your partner once filled feel empty now. You miss the many expressions of your partner—their laugh, the warmth of their touch, their comfort and reassurance. As a result of their passing, you come to experience secondary losses as you ponder such concepts as your identity without your partner, taking on responsibilities that your partner used to handle, and how to find joy and meaning in your new reality.

Spousal/partner loss is a complete reorientation to life and the process can often feel overwhelming and unbearable. This eight-week support group for adults seeks to create a sense of connection and understanding with others walking the same path.

Click here to complete the interest form, and our staff will get back to you with additional detail.

This group will meet virtually, over Zoom. Our next session is January 15 – March 5 on Wednesdays, 6–7:30 p.m. If you cannot make these dates, use the contact form, or call (781) 832-0705 to be placed on the interest list for the following quarter.

The loss of a child is often an unspeakable loss, with language failing to describe the anguish felt by parents. The need to love and protect our children is felt deep in our bones. This never stops, even after death.  When we reflect on the events that led up to their passing, we realize just how little control we had over the situation, and yet we often feel responsible. How can we live in a world without our child and how do we continue to love those around us when our hearts are so broken? The complex emotions of child loss are overwhelming.  Guilt, fear, anger, and helplessness are often felt within the hearts and minds of those experiencing the loss of a child.  Life becomes unfamiliar and unrelatable and we long to find others who share in this experience. This group creates a space where participants feel the safety and freedom to be open and vulnerable with their pain and to give voice to the experience of child loss.

Contact our staff (781) 832-0705 or via the interest form for next available dates.

This one-hour class is intended for adults new to the grief process. The content is suitable both for a grieving person and for friends and family of a grieving person who want to better understand grief.

Societal ideas of grief and loss are often quite different from the direct experience of losing a loved one. This workshop will address the reality of loss and provide an overview of grief and how it affects the body, heart, and mind. We will then be sharing information on our bereavement services to better assist those who are interested in support but uncertain how to move forward. We will reserve time at the conclusion of the meeting to address any questions or concerns.

Click here to complete the interest form, and our staff will get back to you with additional detail.

Sometimes, a person experiencing grief does not feel comfortable in a group setting. In these cases, we are available to meet one-on-one. Click here to complete the interest form, and our staff will get back to you with additional detail.

Navigating loss during the teen years can be an overwhelming and confusing experience. With the many complex emotions already present at this stage of life, the weight of grief needs support. Feelings of isolation and loneliness are often present in the grief process. Peer support during this time can provide a sense of connection and acceptance, which fosters healing and growth. This group will address how grief affects us physically, mentally, and emotionally. We seek to answer any questions that arise in a safe and comforting atmosphere, where participants feel the freedom to be honest and open with their thoughts and feelings. Our goal is for teens to come away with a deeper understanding of themselves and to learn healthy ways to cope with grief and loss.

Click here to complete the interest form, and our staff will get back to you with additional detail.

At this time, Starr does not have a regular group program in place for young children. If your child needs support, we can assist with a one-on-one appointment or refer you to an appropriate community provider. Please call our office at (781) 832-0705 to discuss your specific situation.