When you first experience loss, the support you need can look different. You are welcome to attend these groups in the early days of loss as well as come back to them during the days and months when your grief is heavier to carry. These groups are all professionally facilitated and peer-driven.
**Please note: you are invited (and encouraged) to attend these 8-week group series more than once. Each time you attend, you can get something new from it.
Initial Grief (Early Pregnancy Loss)
This is an 8-week professionally facilitated, peer-driven support group for individuals and partners who have experienced early miscarriage, missed miscarriage, chemical pregnancy, molar pregnancy, blighted ovum, ectopic pregnancy, loss of a multiple, or missed adoption. This group provides a space to connect, validate your experience, and hold space to process your grief as you navigate your journey.
Who is this group for? Individuals and partners who have recently experienced early miscarriage/pregnancy loss who are seeking more support in moving through their grief. This group is intended to be a starting point in connecting with our other groups.
Initial Grief (Late Pregnancy & Infant Loss)
This is a 8-week professionally facilitated, peer-driven support group for individuals and partners who have experienced late miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal loss, loss of a multiple or missed adoption. This group provides a space to connect, validate your experience, and and hold space to process your grief as you navigate your journey.
Who is this group for? Individuals and partners who have recently experienced late miscarriage/pregnancy or infant loss who are seeking more support in moving through their grief. This group is intended to be a starting point in connecting with our other groups.
Initial Grief (TFMR)
This is an 8-week professionally facilitated, peer-driven support group for individuals and partners who are deciding to, or have had to make, the difficult decision to terminate their wanted pregnancy for medical reasons. This group provides a safe and non-judgmental space to discuss the unique grief that surrounds TFMR loss.
Who is this group for? Individuals and partners who are navigating a T.F.M.R loss at any stage of the journey.
Initial Grief (SIDS/SUDC)
This is a 8-week professionally facilitated, peer-driven support group for individuals and families who have lost a child to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) or Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood. This group provides a safe and non-judgemental space to discuss the unique grief that surrounds SIDS/SUDC.
Who is this group for? Individuals and partners who are navigating a SIDS or SUDC loss at any stage of the journey.
FAQ
What to expect at a PILSC peer support group
A hybrid group is a peer support group that gives you the option of attending in person at the PILSC office in downtown Calgary or attending virtually on Zoom for those living outside of Calgary and for anyone who prefers to attend virtually.
Your hybrid group will have a designated facilitator for those who attend in person and the second facilitator will be supporting the group on Zoom. We have technology called Meeting Owl that allows for a seamless interaction experience between those attending in person and those who attend virtually.
(PILSC hybrid group using Meeting Owl technology with in-person and virtual attendees)
To see a video of a Hybrid group, see this video
For our 8 Week Groups, we require that all participants attend either the first or second session and as many sessions as possible to allow for a safe and consistent group environment. That being said, life happens and let us know if you are unable to attend a session by emailing info@pilsc.org.
As with all of our services at PILSC, we believe in the importance of removing barriers to accessing services. All of our groups are offered at no cost to participants. For those who have the means and ability to help support the centre and our groups programming, we graciously accept donations: https://pilsc.org/donate-to-pilsc
All of our online groups are open for anyone to attend anywhere in the world. Our groups that meet in person will always have a hybrid option so you can always attend any group virtually, regardless of your physical location.
You will receive a confirmation email from the Jane booking system and the day before your group you will receive an email welcoming you to your group. For 8 week groups, there are forms to fill out in the Jane booking system so please fill those out as we require your mailing information to send you materials for your group.
Yes, you are welcome to attend a group more than once. Every time you attend will be different because so much is determined by the people in a group with you. We also have various monthly groups that you can try after an 8-week group to meet others who have experienced.
We are dedicated to supporting individuals of all faiths, ethnicities, sexual orientations, and gender identities. In the spirit of reconciliation, we acknowledge that we live, work and play on the traditional territories of the Blackfoot Confederacy (Siksika, Kainai, Piikani), the Tsuut’ina, the Îyâxe Nakoda Nations, the Métis Nation (Region 3), and all people who make their homes in the Treaty 7 region of Southern Alberta.