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By Blair Braitenbach
After the passing away of her husband last June, Pauline Hutchinson explained that the grief coping mechanisms offered through the Calgary Health Region (CHR) has helped her get through everyday life.
Hutchinson, a High River resident and occupational health nurse for the CHR, accessed the individual grief counselling at the South Calgary Health Centre when her husband died of an aneurysm after suffering with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Working in the field of nursing, she knew of the options that were available.
“You have to figure the loss into the rest of your lifetime,” Hutchinson said. “Its not like you can kind of forget about it and say ‘now I’m done with it, so that’s in the past.’”
Following the individual grief counselling, Hutchinson attended the group spousal loss group counselling sessions for those over 50 years of age at the Okotoks Health and Wellness Centre, offered from January to February. She said the individual counselling paved the way for her group therapy.
“By the time you get to group you’re able to express more information when you’re not an emotional basket case,” Hutchinson said.
Individual grief counselling sessions are now available in Okotoks at the Health and Wellness Centre. Gail Maitland, grief counsellor for the CHR, will be at the clinic every second Thursday to administer one-on-one counselling for those like Hutchinson who are grappling with the recent loss of a loved one.
“It’s somebody there to support people when they’re journeying through grief and just be there for them and help them with some strategies,” Maitland said.
The program, which has been available through the Rockyview General Hospital for 20 years, began operating for the first time in Okotoks on March 20. Maitland said the CHR’s intention is to offer counselling services for those living in the Foothills area.
Although the group sessions are now over for the rest of the year, Maitland said she anticipates the CHR will organize another series next year.
“In group counselling, people are really sort of healing each other,” Maitland said. “When you get a group of people who have lost their spouse within the last year, it’s quite powerful.”
Those interested in attending individual grief counselling sessions in Okotoks, or the various group therapy sessions in Calgary, can call Rockyview General Hospital at 943-3533.
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