A six-week Survivors of Suicide Support Group is starting on Friday, Oct. 12 in Newcastle. To preregister and for more information, please call Lisa Beth Hammer at 978-853-1950.

The support group is facilitated by Lisa Beth Hammer, LMSW-cc, MTS, an Oncology Social Worker at the Alfond Center for Cancer Care, who specializes in grief and loss. Her grief facilitation training started at the Portland Center for Grieving Children in 2015 but now has extensive experience facilitating bereavement groups across the state including in the Maine State Prison. The group is co-facilitated by Don Weatherbee, a longtime volunteer from Brunswick. 

“The loss of a loved one by suicide is overwhelming and the grief that ensues can be intense and long term,”Hammer said. “Whether you have survived a suicide loss recently or years ago, this support group is a place where you will find understanding and hope, strength and comfort.”

The group is open to those who have lost a loved one to suicide and wish to meet in a supportive, open environment to explore their loss, building community through a shared experience.

The support group was started by the Hope & Resiliency Coalition, a group of concerned and committed community members who gather regularly out of concern for those struggling with hopelessness, mental health challenges and suicide loss. Since forming in 2016, several Survivors of Suicide support groups have taken place in Lincoln County and the group has hosted awareness raising and training events on these topics, mostly in the Boothbay region.

The SOS support group is made available free of charge to participants thanks to a sponsorship from the Coulombe Center for Health Improvement. It is a closed session group and pre-registration is required. The facilitator does ask that those who are interested in joining the group make an effort to attend all six meetings in this session.