‘It helps me understand I’m not alone’: Spilsbury Mortuary offers monthly grief support group

CONTRIBUTED CONTENT — If you’re mourning the passing of a beloved family member, remember that you’re not alone. Spilsbury Mortuary organizes a monthly grief support group to ensure that anyone experiencing loss has a safe, comfortable place to explore and share their emotions. 

Stock image | Photo by kieferpix/iStock/Getty Images Plus, St. George News

“Our goal is to bring families together who are grieving the loss of a loved one in a safe, warm environment,” said Connie Zdunich, community outreach coordinator for Spilsbury Mortuary. “They can share their innermost thoughts or sit and listen and learn from others who are going through the same things that they’re experiencing.”  

Spilsbury Mortuary began offering a grief group four years ago to provide a consistent gathering for their many clients and family members dealing with loss. Zdunich said that at the time, the community was distinctly lacking a regular grief support outlet. The grief group meets on the second Tuesday of every month at 5 p.m. at Spilsbury Mortuary in St. George. 

“We’ve seen beautiful friendships evolve from these meetings,” she said. “We’ve become a very close-knit family group. People know that it’s OK to be wherever they are in the process.”  

Losing a loved one is hard, and it’s often even more difficult to talk about the feelings you experience after the loss. Perhaps you find yourself questioning whether your grieving process is “normal,” but Zdunich said it’s important to remember that the journey looks different for everyone. 

“Depression is normal, anger is normal, crying 24/7 is normal,” she said. “Grief is very personal, and there’s no right or wrong way to grieve.” 

Stock image | Photo by SeventyFour/iStock/Getty Images Plus, St. George News

Grief comes in waves, and everyone mourns lost loved ones a bit differently. Understanding the stages of grief can help surviving family members begin to process their emotions. With so much involved in the grieving process, Zdunich said that gathering with like-minded people to discuss what you’re going through is a healthy step forward in the healing process. 

Zdunich said the purpose of the grief group is to love, support and provide guidance to anyone dealing with loss. Spilsbury Mortuary invites special guest speakers and frequently plans activities for the group. In 2019, they organized a Christmas party that was attended by a few dozen people, some of whom were making their first trip out of the house since the death of their loved one. 

“It gives you hope to see people making progress, reconnecting with people and starting to enjoy things they used to do again,” she said. “It gives you hope that there is life beyond this loss.” 

Mary S. joined the grief group at Spilsbury Mortuary after her sister’s passing in 2019. She said she enjoys sharing stories about loved ones with the group and always feels that the participants know exactly where she’s coming from. 

Stock image | Photo by kzenon/iStock/Getty Images Plus, St. George News

“One of my favorite things about grief group is all the amazing people I’ve met that are at different stages of grief,” she said. “We learn from each other, and each person I meet seems to give me strength. Someone once said that if you’re sad over losing a loved one, it’s because they’re worth missing, and for some reason that line has really helped me.”

She said she still misses her sister but that she is more at peace today than she was two years ago.

“I still faithfully go to grief group, because it resets me every month and helps me understand I’m not alone.” 

Spilsbury Mortuary, family-owned and operated for three generations, is nestled on a hilltop surrounded by majestic trees in the heart of St. George and offering a place of solace and peace. Their compassionate staff members are honored to be of service, and their sole desire is to assist your family in healing after loss while embracing all cultural and religious differences and assisting all financial situations.

For more information, call 435-673-2454 or visit the Spilsbury Mortuary website.

Written by ALEXA MORGAN for St. George News.

• S P O N S O R E D   C O N T E N T •

Resources

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2021, all rights reserved.

Free News Delivery by Email

Would you like to have the day's news stories delivered right to your inbox every evening? Enter your email below to start!