Grief Support Programs

Grief support groups can provide a much-needed bridge over the difficult days, weeks and months during and after a loss. Participants discover that the group is a place where understanding, encouragement and practical suggestions are readily found. Designed to meet a variety of needs, all of our groups are open to anyone in the community who is coping with the loss of a loved one and offered free of charge. Our groups typically meet on a rotating basis through the year. Contact Pathways of Hope at 937.258.4991 for group schedules near you.

Pathways of Hope Grief Counseling Centers

Pathways of HopeSM Grief Counseling Centers provide a variety of services to the communities we serve. Support and education are provided by a team of counselors and social workers, all with significant experience and expertise in assisting grieving children, adolescents and adults.

Bereavement Workshops

• Bereavement workshops are offered throughout the year by Ohio’s Hospice | Wooster to help those who are grieving. Please visit our events page or call 330.264.4899 to learn more.

Grief Support Groups

• Faces of Grief provides a safe venue for sharing experiences, discussing key challenges, and learning about positive coping strategies along the grief journey. These sessions are designed to help adult grievers understand the many nuances of grief, help them with processing the pain, and help them adjust to a world without their loved one. During the Faces of Grief group, participants will identify and process many of the ways that grief presents itself. It is not necessary to share openly in a group setting to receive support. The weekly curriculum and insights from others can generate hope and clarification for one’s own grief experience. To register for this free support group and for more information, please call 330.264.4899.
• Hope and Healing is offered through Ohio’s Hospice | New Philadelphia.
  656 Commercial Ave. SW, New Philadelphia, OH 44663 meets every other Thursday. For a current schedule or to register, please call 800.884.6547.
• Growing Through Grief is open to any adult who has lost a loved one to death. This group is offered in eight-week sessions throughout the year. Growing Through Grief is led by Pathways of HopeSM and held at the Ohio’s Hospice | Dayton campus at 324 Wilmington Ave., Dayton, Ohio 45420. Please contact a bereavement counseling staff member at 937.258.4991 for enrollment.
• Growing Through Grief is open to any adult who has lost a loved one to death. This group is offered in eight-week sessions throughout the year. Growing Through Grief is led by Pathways of HopeSM and held at the Ohio’s Hospice | Troy. Please contact a bereavement counseling staff member at 937.335.5191 for enrollment.
• A Journey Through Grief is a bereavement support group led by Pathways of HopeSM at Ohio’s Hospice | Wilmington. The six-week program is open to anyone that is experiencing or has experienced the loss of a loved one. For information about the next scheduled session please call 937.382.5400.

Social Groups

• The 6 O’Clock Supper and the Friendship Luncheon are monthly gatherings for grieving adults. Participants order from the menu and have an opportunity to enjoy good food and conversation. Please call Ohio’s Hospice | Troy at 937.335.5191 for specific meeting times and the location of this month’s event.
• Growing Together meets the first and third Tuesdays of each month to share a meal and enjoy the fellowship of others who also have experienced the loss of a loved one. This time is an accessible, respectful and confidential space. If you’re grieving the loss of a loved one or supporting a friend who is grieving, please join us for a meal at The Barn Restaurant located at 877 W. Main St., Smithville, OH 44677. First Tuesday at 12:30 pm and Third Tuesday 3:30 pm. Please call Ohio’s Hospice | Wooster at 330.264.4899 to learn more.

Children’s Grief Support

• Healing Pathways are school-based grief support programs, providing 1:1 supportive grief counseling, grief support groups, and grief education for staff and students. Healing Pathways is offered at Ohio’s Hospice | Dayton.
• School Support Groups are six-week programs provided in partnership with local school districts and Ohio’s Hospice | Newark. These groups offer education and support to children who have had a significant loss in their lives. The groups are offered in a school setting. For more information or questions about school groups, please call 740.788.1482.
• Youth Camps. We strive to offer support and guidance to children through education on grief and loss and normalizing emotions and experiences. Visit our camp page to learn more about camps available to children and teens who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling or significant loved one.

Art-Related Groups

• Drawn Together is an art therapy program that encourages the effective expression of grief through art. Participants do not have to be artistically gifted to create art or to benefit from it. Art activities are designed to enhance the expression of grief and create art that honors and cherishes their memories of loved ones. Individual art therapy sessions are available. All art therapy programs are led by a professionally trained board-certified art therapist.
• Art Forever After group is a multi-generational art-based group, providing the opportunity for children, teens, friends, and family members of all ages to make art with each other. The group meets at the William & Dorothy Yeck Family Grief Counseling Art Center on the Ohio’s Hospice | Dayton campus at 324 Wilmington Ave., Dayton, Ohio 45420. Schedule information is available by contacting Pathways of Hope at 937.258.4991.
• The Art Cart is a mobile cart that will bring art to you! Open to all ages, the Art Cart is a free service to all patients and family members who would like a creative distraction while visiting the Ohio’s Hospice | Dayton campus at 324 Wilmington Ave., Dayton, Ohio 45420. No artistic talent is required. The Art Cart travels through the Hospice House Monday through Thursday at various times.

Individual Counseling

Our philosophy is that grief is a normal reaction to loss, that each individual’s experience is unique, and that each relationship is one of a kind. The Pathways of Hope staff seeks to understand what is needed for each individual to navigate the grief process and to assist with an effective plan to cope with this life change.

One-on-one counseling sessions for children, teens, and adults are available by appointment. One session often provides adequate information for grievers to feel they are processing grief normally. Our bereavement counselor/social worker will develop an individual plan of care based on each individual’s needs.

To schedule an appointment or find out more about one-on-one grief counseling services, please contact Pathways of Hope at  937.258.4991.

Memorial Services and Special Events

Memorial Services and special events are held at various times throughout the year and are open to the public. Please visit our events page for upcoming programs.

Upcoming Bereavement Events