Compassionate Friends Victoria
About
Our primary purpose is to assist people in the rebuilding of their lives after the death of their child or sibling and to support their efforts to achieve physical, emotional and mental wellbeing.
The secondary purpose is to provide information and education about bereaved parents and siblings. The objective is to help those in the community, including family, friends, employers, co-workers and professionals, to be supportive.
This is achieved through shared experience peer support and self help.
Peer Support services are based on a holistic view of mental health that recognises the importance of sharing the knowledge gained by people who have experienced the impact of mental health issues in their lives with those who are currently facing the same challenges. This forms the basis of the information, support and education delivered at TCF by specially trained volunteers, themselves bereaved parents or siblings
Answers contributed by Compassionate Friends Victoria
9 Answers | 4 Agrees | 18 Thanks
Are support groups effective in dealing with the grieving process?
The short answer is “for some people definitely” and “for most people probably, if they can find the personal resources to make that first contact”!
Our experience in running bereavement support groups for The Compassionate Friends,…
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When is grief “complicated” as opposed to “normal”?
“Complicated” grief is given various names, such as delayed grief, chronic grief, pathological grief, distorted grief, abnormal grief.
We have described the normal process of grief, but sometimes (Raphael suggests in as many as 1 in…
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How important is remembering anniversaries, and establishing rituals if someone has passed away?
We have discovered, as many others have, that especially acknowledging birthdays, anniversaries and other special days related to a loss, is an important part of learning to move on and handle our loss.
Some researchers suggest…
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My friend's mother/father/brother/sister has died. How can i best support him/her?
The following suggestions are based on data collected from those bereaved by suicide with whom we have shared, counselled and worked over the last decade or so. We believe however, that the principles apply in…
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What bereavement services are available?
Grief and Bereavement Organisations
These organisations can provide bereavement support:
The Compassionate Friends (links to other states around Australia) http://www.compassionatefriendsvictoria.org.au
Provide Peer Support following the death of a son or daughter at any age and from any…
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