Reaching Out
The Bereavement Program at the Joan Karnell Cancer Center
The time following a loved one's death is
often difficult. Each person has their way of
dealing with grief-related emotions and how they
move through the grieving process. To help those
who have lost a loved one to cancer, the Joan
Karnell Cancer Center offers The Bereavement
Program. The program is made possible by
the support of the Garroway Laboratory and
the University of Pennsylvania's Department
of Psychiatry.
Under the direction of Edna Foa, PhD, and
Tracey Lichner, PhD, The Bereavement Program
provides information about grief and coping, and
provides support as family members and friends
adjust to life following their loved one's death.
“Our aim is to let families know that we are still
supporting them. We help them adjust to life
without their loved one because grief is a normal
process that often should not be done alone,”
says Dr. Lichner.
The program is broken down into several
steps. A sympathy card is the first point of
contact to families. Then a bereavement
counselor from the Cancer Center contacts the
family by phone. Over the next 13 months, the
counselor stays in touch providing information
about the resources available including:
- Anticipatory Bereavement – Counseling
focused on patients and/or family members of
patients who are nearing the end of treatment.
- Bereavement Counseling – Individual sessions
offered in the weeks and months following
the loss.
- Monthly Bereavement Support Groups
- Complicated Grief Therapy – Counseling is
offered to those who continue to experience
intense, disruptive feelings of grief more than
six months after a loss.
- Special Support Group for the Holidays
For more information about the Bereavement
Program at the Joan Karnell Cancer Center, call
215-829-3225.
|
