To help individuals through one of the darkest points of life, the DeKalb County Hospice started another session of its grief counseling group, Bridge of Hope.

Bridge of Hope attendees participate in six free meetings that focus on grief and loss of a loved one. The most recent session started Sept. 7 and meets every other Wednesday.

Those who go are able to open up on their experiences and learn about the grieving process, said Sue Rankin, bereavement program coordinator at DeKalb County Hospice, 2727 Sycamore Road in DeKalb .

“It’s a combination of education and group share,” Rankin said. “The educational component is that each session has a topic that relates to grief or loss.”

Topics covered during the current session are understanding grief, typical reactions to loss and the importance of support systems.

This and other knowledge will help attendees not only express themselves, but learn about grief. For example, the belief that grieving follows a standard five-step process is not entirely accurate, Rankin said.

This model was put forth by psychiatrist Elizabeth Kübler-Ross in 1969, but research shows that grief is not as simple as five stages. Bridge of Hope and other therapy sessions seek to help people find their way through the complex process of understanding themselves and their emotions.

“In general, what group therapy provides people with is a sense of not feeling alone in their problems – they’re getting feedback from people in the group,” said Karen White, director of NIU’s Psychological Services Center. “It depends on the kind of problem the person is struggling with and their openness, where they are in their loss. It really depends, I think, on people’s awareness.”

For those not ready to open up to a group as a part of Bridge of Hope, individual sessions that focus on grief, loss or other topics are available through the DeKalb County Hospice and with local therapists. Kathleen Weisser, a licensed clinical social worker with Life Journeys Counseling, 25228 Henderson Road in Sycamore, said both group and individualized counseling can be beneficial. In individualized therapy, Weisser said people who have difficulty opening up can speak more freely. In a group, participants have the opportunity to share with each other and understand they’re not alone.

“I think it makes people more comfortable when they know others have gone through the same thing,” said Daniel Tovar, freshman business administration major.

However, others may need time to open up about their loss and may not be comfortable speaking about it to a group for a period of time.

“It’s an individual choice,” Weisser said. “If someone feels comfortable in a group setting with the support there, they do that. Or, when loss is new, it may be easier to do individual counseling before they move to a group. Sometimes it may be a combination; they may want to start in private, then move to group.”

Though signups have closed for the current session of Bridge of Hope, there will be future events from the DeKalb County Hospice to help those in need. The next round of sessions will be probably be during the day and take place in late January, Rankin said.

“There are lots of factors that go into [grieving] and it doesn’t lend itself to a nice one-two-three-four-five process,” Rankin said. “I think that hope is one of those things in grief that can disappear. This group allows a person to cross that bridge and find hope again.”