Bereavement Care
About this Program
The SCHC Bereavement Program is not an emergency service. We do not provide counselling, crisis support or therapy in this program. If you require immediate assistance, please call 1-866-531-2600 or 911 or proceed to your nearest emergency room.
We offer peer to peer individual grief support sessions and grief peer support groups.
Eligibility & Registration
Self- and community referrals are accepted. Community referrals must fill out and fax a referral form. All referrals will be assessed for eligibility in the program.
- Must be over 18 years of age
- Be able to communicate in English
- Must be reachable i.e. voicemail and/or email
- This program is not ideal for clients who struggle with cognition, confusion, or trouble with comprehension, i.e. Dementia.
You must complete an intake with our Bereavement Care Coordinator before enrolment in the program.
Please complete and submit the form below for self-referrals, and we will contact you.
If you need assistance completing the form, please call our Medical Secretary at 416 642-9445 ext. 4111.
FAQ About Our Bereavement Program
Do you provide therapy or crisis services?
• This program does not offer crisis services. SCHC uses the peer support model. Our groups and one-on-ones are facilitated by adults who guide, listen, support, help normalize and provide an understanding of the grief process.
What kind of services does the program offer?
• 1:1 Peer Support Sessions. We offer up to 6 free, 30-minute sessions for adults (ages 18+). The sessions are typically conducted over the phone or via Zoom. This is a one-time service for clients who are not yet ready for a group setting or wish to not participate in a group. **Please note that you may be placed on a waitlist to receive this service.
What kind of 1:1 individual support service does the program offer?
• We offer individual grief support sessions with our Bereavement Care Coordinator. These are limited 30-minute sessions for adults (ages 18+). The sessions are typically conducted over the phone (or can be conducted via Zoom). This is a one-time service for clients who are mourning the passing of a loved one. **Please note that you may be placed on a waitlist to receive this service.
Grief support is described as informal, non-clinical approach to help navigate, normalize and understand the grieving process and the changes associated with a specific loss.
The 4 tasks of mourning (Worden 2010) are:
- Accepting the reality of loss
- Processing the pain of grief
- Adjusting to a world without the departed
- Finding an enduring connection with the deceased while embarking on a new life
The SCHC Grief and Bereavement Coordinator does not provide medical intervention or advice, mental health counselling, or ongoing open-ended counselling or therapy.
What types of groups do you offer?
• We offer both open groups and closed groups. We offer both in-person and virtual.
• Open group formats have no time commitment and are called Grief Café. You can enroll in a Grief Café and attend when available and as often as possible. They are similar to drop-in groups.
• Closed Group format requires a commitment, has limited spots and runs for a specified amount of time, generally 8-10 weeks. These groups are often loss specific, i.e. partner/spousal loss, parent/sibling loss, etc. These groups are very interactive and participation-oriented. ** Specialty groups run based on sufficient enrollment.
Our groups welcome people from all walks of life. Please consider this when choosing a group for your specific needs.