Hi Sylvia,
The $20 fee should always be a choice for you, It's NOT mandatory. I would be very surprised if they insisted on you having to pay it. Explain your circumstances to the co-ordinator of the group, they will be glad to forfeit the $20. They are there for you.
It is a faith based group, so prepare yourself for that. I attended with many who were not in faith and most stayed. Our group was extremely open and supportive to each other. The book takes chapter by chapter of tools for moving forward. It may not be for everybody, but then you make the decision.
Take care.....Sandra.

Thanks, Sandra, for clarifying that. I would be happy to pay $20 but not if I am not going to continue with the group. I won't know if I am going to continue until I have experienced the first session. Anyway, I am leaning toward going tomorrow.

I am so very sorry for your loss. 3 weeks after my wife passed, I attended my first GriefShare session. It was immensely helpful. Being able to talk with people face to face that have suffered losses of this magnitude was extremely beneficial. It allowed me to open up and I knew that the people there fully understood the pain and emotional turmoil that I was going through, it also gave me hope seeing other people who are further along on this journey and how their life continued after their loss and they were able to find happiness again. As far as the money goes, I was only asked if I would like to make a donation about half way through the program and it really is to cover the cost of the materials. The facilitators are volunteers and the ones in my group were widows/widowers and were really amazing people. Each group is different though, I have attended other groups when my original group wasn't in session and the group dynamic is really based off how experienced your facilitators are. If you go to this group tomorrow and don't care for the group itself, think about attending a different group. My weekly GriefShare meetings were the only thing I looked forward too and they helped me immensely. I still go now, 1) Because I still find it helpful and 2) I can be that hope for someone else just starting out. Take care, Gary

Hi Gary and Sylvia,
Gary, hit the nail right on the head!!
You really can yet decide on one visit. It takes a few visits before the group starts to get close and begin to open up. like Gary, I began to look forward to my weekly meeting, it was a blessing for me. .......hugs, Sandra

Thanks, Gary, you gave me something to think about. Actually, if I attend tomorrow I will NOT be able to attend the next two sessions due to previous commitments. However, it is my understanding that you can start at any time. This particular group starts up tomorrow and goes through December. It is at a time and place that is convenient for me, so I don't necessarily want to skip tomorrow just because I won't be able to attend the next two Sundays.

I agree the donation is a choice, once you access the group. I'd like to share that the walk and talk grief group has been extremley helpful to me. The one thing I have noticed now being 2/3's of the way through the sessions, is such a huge difference in everyone in the group, Way more smiles and laughter but most of all I see strength in them which was not present before. For myself I know this group has been instrumental in ..for me reaching a turning point in my grief. give it a try :)

Thanks, Khis, for your input. I am definitely leaning in the direction of going tomorrow.

Hello Sylvia, I am currently in the GriefShare Program (two weeks), I find it valuable in the sharing and talking with people at different points in their journey. For me, the book helps, because I can work in the book and write down my thoughts in response to the points. I like the open discussion and that there is no judgement...
Hope, Peace and Grace for all that are hurting this evening.. Mark

When I first started going to bereavement sessions I found it extremely hard because The tears I work so hard on keeping in started flowing...It touched on the raw pain I was trying to avoid...The first 3 weeks I went to meetings and came home to cry myself to sleep for days ...Then during the 3rd meeting something happened and I felt the pain ease up... I had promised my husband that I would do anything in my power to be o.k. and felt that I had to continue going to keep that promise. The thing is that by continuing , I learn the tools to learn to be more then just o.k. Later on I became a facilitator and the one thing I would share with new comers was to give themselves 3 sessions before deciding if they would continue or not ...The first session may be overwhelming, the second you are still overwhelmed and by the third things finally start to register. No matter how strong we thing that we are, once we start sharing expect the pain but then know that healing is to follow.