The Sutter VNA & Hospice Bereavement Program offers individual and group support to those who have experienced a loss. Anyone can use our grief support services, not just hospice families. In addition, our bereavement program provides grief education and training. Also, we can often join teams providing immediate supportive response to sudden death and community disasters for businesses and schools. Unless otherwise noted, events are held at: Sutter VNA & Hospice, 700 S. Claremont Street #220, San Mateo, CA 94402. A sliding-scale donation may be requested; no one will be turned away due to inability to pay. Registration is required. You may contact any of our Bereavement Program Coordinators:

Stephanie Amsden, MSW
650-685-2821
Email: amsdens@sutterhealth.org

Jennifer Wilson, LMFT
650-685-2822
Email: wilsonj2@sutterhealth.org

Susan Hobart, MA
(650)-685-2806
Email: hobarts@sutterhealth.org

• Saturday Support Series
• Inidividual 1:1 Counseling
• Adult Grief Support Groups
• Children's Greif Support
• Annual Service of Remembrance
• Phone Assessment/Referrals/Consulting
• Holiday Grief Support

Saturday Support Series

Our Saturday morning workshop series present unique and varied perspectives and tools for assisting one’s movement through their full grief process. A new facilitator each month offers a different viewpoint and focus. The workshop series’ goal is to stretch the grieving mind a bit to include here-to-fore unknown new possibilities, or to remind grievers of these potentials. These connections can encourage non-judgmental exploration. Each workshop is a stand-alone presentation and is experiential, as opposed to lecture, offering a “hands-on” experience. Topics include poetry/writing, art, music, dreams, drumming, stress reduction, intuition, forgiveness, neural-emotional techniques, shamanism, rejuvenation and self care, intuitive energy awareness and healing, and sandtray. One Saturday a month, 10am-12:30pm
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Inidividual 1:1 Counseling

One or more sessions with a counselor can assist in the grieving process. Grief assessment and support is provided including factors which complicate healing, education, self support and stress-reduction. Focus is short-term intervention (not therapy) serving as a bridge between active/intense grief and re-engagement in community activities. Open to everyone and all types of death.

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Adult Grief Support Groups

Groups are designed for adults grieving all types of current and/or past deaths. Together we learn, share and create ways to adapt to loss and change. Group processes may include grief education, focused discussion and exercises, brain-storming, stress-reduction tools and music.

● Ongoing Weekly Grief Support is available every week all year long as it fits into your schedule. After your initial attendance, thereafter participants may drop-in as desired. Tuesdays 6 – 7:30pm. Contact Stephanie (650) 685-2821; amsdens@sutterhealth.org.
● Weekly Grief Healing Drop-In Support Group: Traumatic Losses. Processing deaths from suicide vehicle accidents & homicide can be especially intense, painful, difficult & of long duration. This group is for adults who are grieving current or past losses which are especially traumatic. Tuesdays (some exceptions) 6-7:30pm. Contact Stephanie Amsden, MSW for required registration; thereafter bereaved can drop-in: 650-685-2821 or amsdens@sutterhealth.org.
● Daughters in Transition – An eight-week support group for daughters who are grieving the death of their mothers. Call for dates and times.
● Horses, Grief and Healing – A workshop for adults grieving any current or past deaths of a loved one. Attendees meet at our local county Equine Therapy Center located in a ranch setting, for gentle horse-riding and support group activities. Occurs 2 or 3 times from June through September. Call for dates and times.
● Writing Through Grief – A several-week support group for those grieving any current or past deaths of loved one using writing techniques to investigate, express and process grief. Call for dates and times.
● Coping with Change – A several-week support group using coping models of adapting to change, resiliency and positive psychology. Call for dates and times.
● Stress Reduction – A several-week support group teaching meditation, breath work and body awareness/relaxation skills to reduce tension and assist in exploring, processing and integrating grief. Call for dates and times.
● Creative Arts Expression – Both single and several-week sessions using various creative modalities and themes for “hands-on” and body-based expression of grief and healing. Call for dates and times.
● Other Loss-Specific Type groups are organized with a preponderance of requests. Let us know what kind of support you are seeking.
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Children's Greif Support

Children and teens grieve differently than adults and benefit from specialized group and individual bereavement support. Support groups are particularly beneficial way for teens and children to develop awareness of feelings related to grief and to meet others their own age who are going through the same process. Expressive arts such as creative writing, movement, collage and painting are integrated into our services. Our Youth Bereavement Program is growing! Contact Sue Hobart at (650) 685-2806 or hobarts@sutterhealth.org to register for the services below or request other services for Bereaved Children and Teens.

The Kids, Horses and Healing Program is a one-day workshop in partnership with the National Center for Equine Facilitated Therapy for children and teens who have experience the death of a loved one. Sessions occur twice a year from May through September. Contact Jennifer (650)-685-2822 or wilsonj2@sutterhealth.org.

Individual counseling supportis available for children and their parent/guardian, either in their home or our office.

Children’s grief support groups Ongoing (6, 8 or 10 weeks long) either our offices or school sites.

One-day Saturday children’s grief support workshops occur periodically throughout the year for children ages 6-12, and for teens. These programs are a safe and playful time for sharing dance/movement, talking, games and artwork.

Community presentations about children and teen’s grief and loss are available.

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Annual Service of Remembrance

Join hospice staff and community bereaved for a public, yearly, inter-faith acknowledgement ceremony to honor and celebrate the lives of those who have died. This mid-May, Wednesday evening event unfolds at historic Ralston Hall Mansion in Belmont, starting at 6:30pm.
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Phone Assessment/Referrals/Consulting

We are often over busy in our fast-paced culture. A brief connection and/or referral to resources can get one going in the right direction. Brain-storming on the phone can often help clarify some of the normal confusion of grief and open up pathways of choice and/or action. Professionals and/or bereaved can call for information, referral, assessment, consulting, and/or support over the phone. Counselor can refer callers to grief support closest to where grievers live/work.
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Holiday Grief Support

Our grief support around year-end holidays occurs the second week of November during a weekday evening and/or the first Saturday in December. We celebrate Mother’s and Father’s Days during our annual mid-may Service of Remembrance.
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