Online Support Group for Bereaved Fathers (men only please)

16 October 2024, 19.00 – 20.30

Online Via Zoom

 

When you book for this group you will be directed to a new web page which asks you to tell us about your bereavement/s. We ask you for details of your bereavement/s so we can make the group as helpful as we can for you. 

THE GRIEF OF FATHERS

ABOUT THIS GROUP

Traditionally, expectations of behaviour differed for women and men; women could cry in public, but men were expected to restrain themselves. As adult males facing this maelstrom of emotions, we may feel that we are expected to keep a lid on our sorrow, to protect those around us. Yet we too need the space and time to sob our hearts out or simply recognise the tremendous sorrow we carry. We should not let what others think influence us.

Many men find it beneficial to talk with others who have experienced a similar loss – and we may cover issues such as how grief affects us and our relationships, differences in how men and women grieve, getting back to work, avoiding isolation together and any other issues we may want to share.

This is an opportunity for bereaved men to meet others online and share our feelings and find understanding and support.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

This group is just for bereaved fathers.

We do apologise but this online group is not suitable for anyone bereaved 3 months or less. If you are under 3 months bereaved please contact the Helpline on 0345 123 2304 for listening support.

To keep the group as helpful as possible, we limit the number of attendees. Please note we give priority to parents who have not attended an online group before.

Once you book you will receive more details and the Zoom link closer to the meeting date. Just a reminder to check your spam or junk email folders if you haven’t received the link for the online meeting by the day of the meeting. Please contact info@tcf.org.uk if you have any questions or queries.

Please can we ask that you join the group using a desktop computer, a laptop or a tablet if possible. We do apologise if you join a Zoom sharing session using a mobile phone you may not be able to see the other participants in the group.

Please note that these online events are run by bereaved parent volunteers. Our volunteers are not professionals and so what we offer is a uniquely warm, comforting and supportive online group organised and facilitated by parents who have also experienced the loss of a child and have found understanding and hope themselves through The Compassionate Friends. 

Please contact events@tcf.org.uk if you have any questions about the group.

Please note this group is for bereaved parents in the UK only – if you want to join from abroad please contact us on events@tcf.org.uk

If you are newly bereaved:
Please note, our online support group meetings may not be the most appropriate form of support for very newly bereaved parents. We know how vulnerable we can be in the early weeks and months of our grief and how raw the pain and heartache can feel.

In an online support environment, we will of course do all we can to express our empathy to newly bereaved parents verbally but we won’t be able to offer the very important physical presence and contact that physical groups can offer especially when parents become very upset. Our online meetings tend to be shorter than physical meetings which also means that we won’t have as much time to hear from all group members in the ways in which we would do if we were meeting face to face.

We know that in the early days of our grief, there is a strong need to tell our ‘story’ about the loss of our precious child. We know that this is a very important part of grieving – however, our support groups, whether online or face to face can only offer the opportunity to say a little about your loss and in not too much detail so as to enable everyone to have a chance to speak and also to minimise the risk of anyone attending being re-traumatised around their own loss by hearing graphic details of someone else’s loss. It would help to know how early you are in your loss and whether you are already receiving TCF support – what we don’t wish to do is increase the vulnerability of any bereaved parent by not managing your expectations about what our support group offers and is unable to offer. We may make contact if we need to explore with you whether our online group support is the most appropriate way to support you at this stage in your loss.

Some feedback from an earlier group:

‘...a safe space that I can use to voice my grief with other fathers.’

“Having a group dedicated to bereaved dads was so positive. To share insight and experience with other men created a feeling of being noticed and heard. We are often the overlooked party in grieving for a child as we are there to support and help our loved ones, but this gave us a voice and a safe place to discuss and express how much we hurt too. The format was relaxed yet well run and I have no hesitation in recommending TCF and this service to anyone who needs it.

Thank you so much for always being there for us grieving dads too.”

Please give your feedback here.