The Survivors of Suicide support group will be co-facilitated by Lisa Beth Hammer.
A six-week Survivors of Suicide support group will start on Friday, Oct. 12 in Damariscotta.
“The loss of a loved one by suicide is overwhelming and the grief that ensues can be intense and long-term,” said Lisa Beth Hammer, who co-facilitates the group. “Whether you have survived a suicide loss recently or years ago, this support group is a place where you will find understanding and hope, strength and comfort.”
The group is co-facilitated by Don Weatherbee, a longtime volunteer from Brunswick.
The group is open to those who have lost a loved one to suicide and wish to meet in a supportive, open environment to explore their loss, building community through a shared experience.
The support group was started by the Hope & Resiliency Coalition, a group of concerned and committed community members who gather regularly out of concern for those struggling with hopelessness, mental health challenges, and suicide loss. Since forming in 2016, several Survivors of Suicide support groups have taken place in Lincoln County and the group has hosted awareness-raising and training events on these topics, mostly in the Boothbay region.
Hammer is an oncology social worker at the Alfond Center for Cancer Care, who specializes in grief and loss. Her grief facilitation training started at the Portland Center for Grieving Children in 2015 but she now has extensive experience facilitating bereavement groups across the state, including in the Maine State Prison.
The support group is made available free of charge to participants thanks to a sponsorship from the Coulombe Center for Health Improvement. It is a closed-session group and preregistration is required. The facilitator does ask that those who are interested in joining the group make an effort to attend all six meetings in this session.
To register, or for more information, call Hammer at 978-853-1950.
