“Something had to give. When we first came to the Bethany Center with my teenage daughter, Lisa, she was so grief-stricken about losing her father suddenly from a heart attack and had completely withdrawn from life. Her friends, who she had always been so close to, no longer mattered. Lisa was even defiant toward her favorite teachers.

I just couldn’t take seeing her hurting so terribly any longer, so that’s when a friend recommended we call the center. Less than a year after reaching out for help, we’ve both come a long way in our journey toward healing. Through the grief center’s family support groups, we’ve learned how to cope with our feelings of loss and understand that we’re not alone.

I realized there’s nothing that bonds people so quickly than a loss experience. The counselors at the center walked that journey side by side with both of us. Lisa actually had a sleepover with two of her best friends the other night and the sound of her laughter brought tears to my eyes. I have my Lisa back.”

–  Jenny
Widow and mother to teenage daughter, Lisa. 

Supporting you and your family during the grief process.

Chapters Health provides services that go well beyond caring for the patient – we support family members and caretakers, too. Through our compassionate non-profit hospice organizations, LifePath Hospice and Good Shepherd Hospice, we offer a variety of grief services and resources that assure the long-term emotional, mental and physical well being of survivors of all ages by helping them adjust to their loss and express their feelings:

  • Individual & Family Support: Bereavement specialists offer guidance, attention and support to hospice survivors within the family system as they work through the grieving and healing process.
  • Memorial Services: Memorial services provide a time to honor the memory of loved ones and allow closure for families, staff and volunteers. Services are offered several times a year at various locations and are open to survivors and the community.
  • Adult Grief Support Groups: Grief support groups offer support and education by helping survivors cope with their emotions, new roles in life and plans for the future. Groups are scheduled at various locations on an ongoing basis. Pre-registration is required, and groups are open to all community members who have experienced the death of a loved one.
  • The Mending Tree: This specialized program provides caring, compassionate support to expectant parents (and their loved ones) who have an unborn baby diagnosed with a life-limiting medical condition. (The Mending Tree is available only in Hillsborough County.) Please call 813-357-5675 for more information.
  • Children's Grief Services: To meet the special needs of children coping with the death of a loved one, we provide age-specific services and caring support in a safe environment:
      • Grief support groups for children and their parents or caregivers
      • Annual children's camps
    • If you’re located in Hillsborough County, learn more about our LifePath Hospice Circle of Love Center for Grieving Children and Camp Circle of Love
    • If you’re located in Hardee, Highlands or Polk counties, learn more about our Good Shepherd Hospice Bethany Center and Camp Brave Heart
  • Guidance & Informative Articles: Our online Library offers a collection of articles and resources compiled by our Chapters Health experts that provide guidance and direction for anyone touched by grief, including:
    • General Grief Guidance
    • Helping Yourself with Grief
    • Helping Others with Grief
    • For & About Grieving Children and Teenagers
    • Funerals, Memorials, Cremation & Related Topics
    • For Funeral Directors
    • For Hospices & Other Caregivers

For a list of grief support groups and other events, visit the Special Events page.

You are not alone – we’re here to help. For additional information about our grief services, including our children’s grief centers and annual camps, please call 813-877-2200 in Hillsborough County or 1-800-464-3994 in Hardee, Highlands or Polk counties. Or visit our online Library for helpful information and additional guidance from our Chapters Health experts.

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Grief services for the Tampa, Florida area

 

 

 

 

 

 

 “What we once enjoyed and deeply loved we can never
lose, for all that we love
deeply becomes part of us."

    Helen Keller