“The natural grief process needs attention in order to proceed toward acceptance, healing, and reintegration. This is how we honor our losses.” - Trudy James
Coming Together, Virtually
HOW PNW GRIEF GROUPS WORK
1
Review Group Options
Go to the Join a Group page to learn more about what type of groups are open for enrollment and the topics that will be discussed.
2
Select a Group and Register
After selecting a group you'd like to join, click through to the registration page to claim your spot.
3
Tech Orientation (Optional)
PNW Grief groups connect through HIPAA/PIPEDA compliant Zoom for Healthcare meetings. During registration, note whether you'd like to partake in a 30-minute orientation to familiarize yourself with Zoom on a desktop computer.
4
Begin Your Multi-Week Experience
Mark your calendar and log into your group sessions at the same time every week for the duration of your experience.
“Studies have revealed that human connection — something as simple as getting an offer of help from a stranger or looking at a picture of someone you love — can ease pain and reduce physical symptoms of stress. "
- Sarah Kaplan, Washington Post
What to Expect
Grief education and support aims to meet individual needs to seek comfort, incorporate losses, and discover “the way forward” to allow for healing, transformation, and growth.
While every griever is unique, it can be helpful to connect with others experiencing a similar loss. Some facilitators will offer groups that are centered around either very broad or highly specific types of loss. The benefit of offering a range of different formats, categories of loss, and group affiliations is that people can discover and select the options that feel best for them.
In addition to delivering high quality educational content, each facilitator offers experiences that are centered around non-judgmental listening and peer support. People report they are able to effectively process their unique, individual grief through an approach that blends education, self-reflection, and group sharing within each session.
Please contact support@pnwgrief.com to suggest options for any new types of groups you would like to see offered by facilitators through this platform
Bereaved Individuals
About Our Groups
Grieving happens to each of us in different ways. Whether you are grieving the loss of a spouse, partner, family member, or best friend, allowing others to witness and share in your grief can greatly reduce loneliness, isolation and suffering. Our groups are designed to provide compassionate connection and genuine care to meet you where you are.
Facilitators
Session Availability
Life Altering Events
About Our Groups
Facilitators
Grief is a normal and natural reaction to loss. Many associate grieving with the death of a loved one, but any loss can trigger grief.
Big changes in our lives–positive or negative–can have profound effects on our physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. Receiving support during major transitions can make all the difference in our health and happiness as we integrate loss into our life experiences.
Session Availability
Strained or Broken Relationships
About Our Groups
Facilitators
The grief that follows the loss of an important relationship can be extremely painful and confusing. Divorce, separation, abandonment, estrangement or betrayal from a meaningful relationship can bring unique feelings to each person.
Often, society generally does not validate the complexity of grief that may follow these relationship changes. Our groups are built to honor and support whatever significant relationship you may be struggling with.
Session Availability
Courses are being listed on an ongoing basis. Check back soon for updates or email support@pnwgrief.com to request more information.
Support Groups FAQ
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What are the requirements to be a facilitator?All facilitators have the professional experience, personal references, and academic qualifications required to create and deliver educational grief content and effectively lead live support group sessions in an online format.
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Can licensed mental health providers act as facilitators?Yes. However, PNW Grief will not promote the fact that some facilitators are also licensed professionals. Their educational backgrounds, but not their licensure, will be shared in their bios, group descriptions, etc. All copy on the website makes clear that groups are designed specifically asgrief education and group support, instead of clinical mental health services. Participants will be required to sign an agreement that affirms their understanding of this important distinction.
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What about mandatory reporting, recordkeeping, and insurance reimbursement?"We cannot compel mandatory reporting from a legal standpoint, but our policies as an entity will be for facilitators to report directly to the appropriate agencies (not to PNW Grief) if they have concerns about self-harm, harm to others, or a risk of harm to children or vulnerable adults. There will be no clinical recordkeeping. There will be no opportunities for insurance reimbursement for out-of-pocket costs for joining mult-week group sessions.
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Do facilitators need to pay any fees?No. Facilitators will not need to pay any costs to join and connect with participants via the PNW Grief.com website.
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How are facilitators compensated?All facilitators will act as independent contractors, not hired as employees, and will need to fill out a basic contractor agreement and W9 form so they can receive a 1099 form at year end from Banister Advisors, LLC. Facilitators will receive their session compensation after the kick off of the first group meeting and the PNWG team will work with them to process an invoice to be in full compliance with our accounting standards
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How are costs determined for group participation?Facilitators set the parameters for groups, including participant costs, in collaboration with the PNWG team. Contact Support@PNWGrief.com to learn more about the transparent financial model and how revenue and expenses are accounted for). The longer term goal is to engage sponsors to provide scholarship opportunities for the general public or individuals affiliated with or served by different groups. (e.g. United Way could scholarships for single parents who have experienced job loss, specific to certain geographies)
We would love to connect with you to learn more
Are you a facilitator who would like to help?
DISCLAIMER | All facilitators have a minimum educational background in grief support and mental health. However, facilitators who are also licensed mental health providers are not providing clinical services. PNW Grief provides information and technical support for grief education and support groups. PNW Grief and its sponsors are not liable for the content created and delivered by any participating online facilitators who share their private group offerings on our site.