If you are dealing with grief or loss, a new centre in Greater Saint John wants to help you through the journey.
The Compassionate Grief Centre provides counselling and community support programs to people across southern New Brunswick.
“It’s a place for all those needing a place to go to through the journey of grief and loss,” said CEO Jamie Godfrey. “Even before the pandemic, we thought that there was really a big need to have a grief centre in Saint John and surrounding areas.”
The centre’s board formed in February and became incorporated in March. After opening their office space at 53 Clark Road in Rothesay in August, the centre began offering a variety of free community support programs.
The Compassionate Neighbours program sees trained and experienced volunteers provide weekly calls, regular visits and support to people living with loss.
Godfrey said they also offer a penpal program where people can share a memory of their loved one or tell the journey of their grief to help someone else.
“They write out a lovely letter to us and then we write back to say thank you and how much that story meant to us,” she said.
The centre also has a number of programs currently in development, such as group support and community educational outreach.
Godfrey said they were initially planning to open a grief and loss counselling clinic in 2021, but the pandemic led them to move up their plans.
“We know it’s needed now more than ever,” she said. “People don’t even realize they’re grieving.”
The clinic, which opened in December, offers palliative and grief counselling for individuals and families. All counselling and educational services at the centre are delivered by licensed, professional social workers and counsellors with expertise in grief support.
Godfrey said many people who have suffered a loss — whether it be a loved one, a friend, a pet, a job, or a life they once knew — just need someone to talk to who understands what they are going through.
“Our goal with our clinic and with all of our programs is that you leave feeling like you’ve just experienced a warm hug,” she said. “All of us, even if we don’t realize that we need it, we are in desperate need of a warm hug.”
Godfrey said they also hope to support the greater health-care community by helping to reduce waitlists for counselling services.
“We help out with the grief and the loss and help people get through that journey,” she said. “If they need something else that’s maybe more complex, then they can go to the other counselling agencies or to mental health, but with us being so brand new, we’re able to help out a lot quicker.”
You can learn more about the centre and the services it offers by going to their website, by emailing hello@compassionategriefcentre.ca, or by calling 506-847-0002.
