Support Groups
Beyond the immediate and concrete things that need to be done, Survivor Resources can connect survivors with individual and family counseling. Survivor Resources offers weekly and semi-monthly grief support groups in St. Paul led by trained facilitators. Groups are held as follows:
St. Paul (at Police Department HQ)
- Adult survivors of suicide
- Adult survivors of homicide
- Adult survivors of accidental death
- Children
- Teens
Survivor Resources understands that each situation presents unique issues and that each person needs support for their individual issues as well.
Attending Our Support Groups
Survivor Resources' support group series are free to all attendees. Pre-registration is important even if you have attended in the past. Pre-registration allows us to have enough rooms, facilitators and chairs in your group space. It also determines which groups need the largest rooms. If you are new to the groups, please tell us if you are registering for homicide, suicide or accident, who will be attending, and leave a phone number where you can be reached should we need more information. Please contact the St. Paul office to register for St. Paul-based groups (including bridge collapse groups). If you are registering children, please give their names and ages. Group locations are given below.
Group Schedules for 2012
Regular groups will be held in four sessions throughout the year. While groups are in session, St. Paul homicide and suicide groups for adults and children are held Mondays from 6:30pm to 8:00pm. Minneapolis homicide and suicide groups have in the past been held Thursdays from 5:30pm to 7:00pm, but are not meeting at this time.
The 2012 sessions will take place between the following dates:
| Winter Groups | January 16 - March 26 | |
| Spring Groups | April 16 - May 21 | |
| Summer Groups | June 11 - August 27 | |
| Fall Groups | Sept 24 - Dec 17 | |
There are some exceptions to the above schedules for holidays or special Survivor Resources events, so there will be no groups meeting on the following dates:
| Walk-A-Thon | May 14 | |
In the event of inclement weather, group cancellations will be announced via the Twin Cities media.
Group Locations
St. Paul groups are held in the St. Paul Police Department, at 367 Grove Street, St. Paul, MN (click on the address for an interactive map). When you come to the Police Department you need to park on the North side of Grove Street (the same side as the police department) or you may be towed. Enter the James Griffin Building (Police Department) at the west end of the lot. Click here for an interactive map.
A Word for Families and Friends
If you're struggling with how to talk with someone who has experienced a recent loss, try this advice from Jayne Buckles which she gave in For Families and Friends: A guide for helping NICU parents, produced by Parents for Parents:
“Don’t avoid me. Tragedy is not contagious. If you are uncomfortable with me because you don’t know what to say, then give me a hug and tell me that you care. Be patient with my moods. Sometimes nothing you or anyone says or does will be the right thing, and I need the assurance that my grumpiness won’t keep you from continuing to try to support me. If you ask me how I am, be prepared to listen. When I am hurting, I have a great need to talk about my situation with someone who is truly willing to listen."