Chesapeake Life Center continues to reach out to the community during the COVID-19 pandemic with online grief and loss programs planned through the fall.
The center also has scheduled some workshops that will be held in-person. Per Center for Disease Control guidelines, the number of people who can participate is limited to allow for physical distancing and masks must be worn at all times. Visit hospicechesapeake.org/events for a complete listing of in-person and virtual groups and workshops.
One workshop that will meet both in-person and virtually is the quarterly Book Group. People can join in on conversations about where grief meets life in literature and discuss “Anxiety: The Missing Stage of Grief: A Revolutionary Approach to Understanding and Healing the Impact of Loss,” by Claire Bidwell Smith, a licensed clinical professional counselor. This event will take place from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, online and, for a limited number of participants, in-person on the John & Cathy Belcher Campus, 90 Ritchie Highway, Pasadena, Maryland. It is free, but participants must obtain their own copy of the book.
The schedule of online only workshops are as follows:
- Nurturing the Grieving Heart through Yoga: A Six-Week Virtual Workshop – This series of adult evening yoga classes is facilitated by Cathy Rees, a registered nurse and certified yoga instructor with the Yoga Center of Columbia. This gentle workshop can be done standing or from a chair and is perfect for both grievers and caregivers. The class meets online from 6 to 7:15 p.m. Thursdays, Oct. 8 through Nov. 12, and costs $40 for all six sessions.
- Virtual Pet Loss Workshop – This virtual workshop, sponsored by Perfect Pet Resort, includes a time to share individual stories, an introduction to the grief process, an art activity to honor your beloved pet, and suggestions for healthy coping. This free event will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5.
- Prince George’s County Family Day – Grieving families can learn how grief may look a little different to each family member as well as to other families and how the holidays impact grief. Participants will first drive by the Chesapeake Life Center’s Prince George’s County office to pick up a Grief and Gratitude box to decorate at home as a family and then join counselors and other participants for a virtual family event to share your box and family experience. The pickup will take place from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, in the parking lot at 9500 Medical Center Drive in Largo, Maryland. The online participation is from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19. This is a free event, suitable for grieving families with children ages 6 to 12.
- Living with Loss: Through the Holidays – This virtual workshop will offer grieving adults support while helping them to honor memories and explore coping strategies during the holiday season. It will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Dec. 3. The cost is $5 to participate.
Registration is required for all events and can be completed by calling 888-501-7077 or emailing griefinfo@chesapeakelifecenter.org. For details on telehealth bereavement services, visit www.hospicechesapeake.org/clc-covid-19.
