Carinthia offers free grief groups for bereaved people

Free grief groups across Carinthia give bereaved people a place to share their experiences and find support, ORF reports.

After the death of someone close, everyday life can feel very different, with shared routines gone and an empty place at the table. In group meetings, participants can talk about their loss or simply listen. They discuss what is difficult in daily life and what helps them cope.

Petra Grünwald, who leads the Diakonie de La Tour’s open grief group in Klagenfurt, said participants often feel relief and a sense of being welcomed. They also realise they are not alone in their grief. A lack of understanding from others and difficult everyday situations can be among the challenges they discuss.

Diakonie holds free open grief groups once a month in Klagenfurt, Villach, Spittal and Wolfsberg. People can attend at any time. Grünwald said there is strong demand for the groups and grief counselling, and that about 160 volunteers are currently supporting the service. Hospitals in Klagenfurt and Villach also run grief cafés for relatives of palliative care patients.

Upcoming Diakonie group meetings are in Spittal on Tuesday, November 3, at 5:30 p.m.; Klagenfurt on Friday, November 6, at 6 p.m.; and Wolfsberg on Friday, November 20, at 6 p.m.