Bereavement,Support Program Helps You Recover from Grief: Arlington Memorial Gardens

by Daniel Applegate
President, Arlington Memorial Gardens

When you lose someone close to you, you may feel like the pain and sadness you're experiencing will never end -- and that's actually a normal reactions to your loss. But while there is no right or wrong way to grieve, there are healthy ways to cope with the pain that, in time, can renew you and help you move on.

Obviously, following the loss of a loved-one, many survivors experience a deep sense of grief that often can become debilitating. To help families through this difficult period of adjustment and ultimate recovery, Arlington Memorial Gardens sponsors and hosts a bereavement program utilizing the skills of two Cincinnati-based therapists, Dr. Barbara Steffens, PhD. and Dr. Sheryl Cohen, PhD.

The bereavement program at Arlington Memorial Gardens includes a series of four one-hour sessions that complement and build upon each other.  The format is a small group setting and functions somewhat similar to a support group.  Each group ranges in number from four to eight participants and meets in the comfort and privacy of our Community Room. 

During the course of the bereavement program series, the therapist takes the participants through the stages of grief and facilitates discussions centering around common difficulties that may be encountered. Of course, like so many other emotional events in life, the grief must first be acknowledged and confronted.  Through instruction, discussion and interaction, the participants gain an appreciation and understanding of expectations, pitfalls, well-being, and self-care.

From its inception, Arlington Memorial Gardens has received consistent feedback that our program has been instrumental in helping survivors deal with the impact of grief.  However, a recent card we received perhaps best expresses the intention of the program:

"Thanks so much for offering the Bereavement Program at Arlington Memorial Gardens.  I look forward to attending each session.  It has been a great support for me in my time of grief."

Arlington Memorial Gardens provides this program as a community service and underwrites the entire cost with the exception of an initial $5.00 registration fee. Those who are interested in participating, whether experiencing difficulties or merely in need a boost, may contact Joanne Martin at (513) 521-7003 or by e-mailing her at our Administrative Center at joanne@amgardens.org or click here.

Daniel Applegate became part of the Arlington Memorial Gardens organization in 2001 and has worked in the cemetery industry since 1981, including serving as Secretary/Treasurer and then as President of the Ohio state cemetery association.  He was appointed by Ohio Governor George Voinovich and served two terms on the Ohio Cemetery Dispute Resolution Commission, Ohio's cemetery oversight agency. He is a graduate of The Ohio State University holding a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science.