SOS Loss Support Services

Surviving a Loss by Suicide 

The variety of Survivor support services include:

Survivors of Suicide Loss (SOS Loss) Support Group
As outlined on the prior page, the SOS Loss support group meets twice monthly.  Currently, meetings are held online on the first and third Tuesday evenings of each month from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. via Zoom.  This group is offered without charge.  When the CDC pandemic meeting recommendations are lifted and it is safe to once again meet in person, MHAGC will resume its special Loss Survivors group for children and teens.

Survivors who come to these meetings may share their experiences, questions, and pain in a safe environment in which they can be assured that what they say is confidential and respected without judgment.  Everyone in the group, including each facilitator, has lost a loved one to suicide. Meeting attendance can vary between five to a dozen participants. While each person's circumstances are unique, by hearing the stories of others in the group, participants can come to realize that they share many of the same feelings and questions in the aftermath of a loss by suicide.  Some survivors come to the group early in their journeys of grief, and others continue to contribute to meetings years later.  This broad representation offers survivors a fuller perspective on the promise of healing from this terrible trauma.   

SOS Loss Home Visits
Facilitators of the support group are Loss Survivors who are at least two years beyond their loss and have completed facilitator training. Upon request, they may visit with newsley-bereaved individuals and families intheir homes.

Team members are not therapists but are available to share their own experiences, offer support, and provide information about resources and ways to cope with this devastating loss.  Team members are trained to work with children and teens.  Individuals may also request to talk to a Loss Survivor by calling the 24/7 CRISISline at 864-271-8888. Every effort is made to have a volunteer Loss Survivor with a similar loss return your call within 24 to 48 hours.

Postvention
Following a suicide, mental health professionals and survivors will speak to schools, businesses, churches, synagogues, and any group in the community needing support and guidance after a suicide. Speakers discuss the grief process, special aspects of grief pertaining to a suicide, share personal stories of loss, and attempt to facilitate the healing process.

For more information, contact the CRISISline at 864-271-8888 and for children and teens call TEENline at 864-467-(TEEN) 8336. Teens may also reach us through our crisis chat available at www.TEENlineSC.org. Also available nationally toll free is the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

The Benefits of Support Groups