A Letter from the Director

What a year it has been! The pandemic came upon us with force, changing so much in our lives. We lost friends and loved ones to the virus and were unable to gather to console one another. We learned to hold meetings and family gatherings via the internet, as our children moved to online classes and parents worked remotely. We became accustomed to wearing masks when we went out, or to not going out at all. So many changes, so many losses. We have adapted and adjusted, and although we speak of “returning to normal”, I suspect that the reality is that it will be a different kind of “normal”, at least for a while. And frankly, that makes sense. Any event in our lives that has an impact as great as COVID-19 has, causes us to stop and take stock of what matter most to us, to perhaps re-prioritize and re-create our ways of being in the world. That is certainly true at Chesapeake Life Center.

As restrictions begin to loosen and the number of fully vaccinated individuals rises, we have seen an increase in the number of grievers who prefer to come to one of our offices for counseling rather than to engage via telehealth. At Chesapeake Life Center we work hard to meet our clients where they are and to help them feel less isolated. To that end, we are increasing the number of days each week that our counselors are available in the office, enabling more face-to-face sessions, while continuing to be vigilant about cleaning procedures and remaining masked when in hospice facilities. While we will continue to offer telehealth, we will focus on offering in-person services, safely. The health and well-being of both clients and staff remains a priority.

The summer brings a time when our offerings are fewer because folks tend to be away, and our regular support groups are winding down. We are offering an educational Living with Loss session virtually on the evening of August 4, for adults who have experienced a death loss of any kind. Please call us at 888-501-7077 for more information and to register. Our summer children’s offerings are all in person, with screenings, temperature readings, masks and social distancing in place. You may call that same number if there is a young person in your life who might benefit from one of the programs. By the time our adult offerings and regular children’s groups resume in September, we are hopeful that we can return to in-person groups. I will update you here as changes evolve.

The impact of the pandemic will be felt even after it is declared to be “over”. Please do not expect that you should immediately feel like your life is “normal” again and your grief should be finished. In fact, the isolation that the pandemic has brought may prolong feelings of grief and loss. Uncertainty about the future, feeling a sense of things left unfinished because of the pandemic, anxiety about other unforeseen events are to be expected. You may choose to keep the folks with whom you interact limited to those who are most supportive of you as you grieve. It is still important to be gentle with yourself, to treat your self as kindly as you would treat a friend who is struggling. Taking time to reflect and to rest will benefit your grieving process. So please, take good care. And if Chesapeake Life Center can help, please feel free to call us at 888-501-7077.

Wishing you comfort and peace,

Susan and the staff at CLC