Miles Funeral Homes -Holden & Sterling, MA-Serving Worcester County for over 100 years

When you lose someone you love, you will probably feel a variety of emotions. Grief is the process of making the fact of loss real. Because grief is an individual reaction of emotions, thoughts, and feelings, it is important that we understand it in a personal way. Our goal at Miles Funeral Home is to provide a continuity of support to families as they experience their loss and grief. One way to provide this support is our Sharing Hope Bereavement Series.

Grief brings out many powerful emotions including sadness, anger, guilt, regret and sometimes even relief. Our seminars will assist individuals in exploring and under-standing the emotions of grief, the integration of loss with life, and the finding of hope and strength.

Miles Funeral Home also sponsors seminars throughout the year focusing on various topics which can assist families when they need us most. Our next two planned seminars are:

Healing a Spouse's Grieving Heart and Finding Your Way: Is planned for Saturday, October 6, 2007 from 1-2:30 p.m. in the Holden Senior Center, 1130 Main Street (Rte. 122A), Holden, MA. Presented for the second year, this seminar is designed to assist individuals through their experience of loss, and the journey following the death of a spouse or partner. We will discuss the physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of grief that are unique to this type of loss. We will share ideas to support, cope and care for ourselves as we moved toward healing in your own personal grief experience.

Healing Through the Holidays - Discovering Strength, Hope and Meaning this Holiday Season: Is planned for Saturday, December 1, 2007 from 1-2:30 p.m. in the Holden Senior Center, 1130 Main Street, Holden. Presented for eight years during the month of December, this seminar is designed to assist individuals and families in understanding the emotional aspects of healing and surviving the holiday season. We will explore the emotional and physical aspects of grief, the meaning and value of traditions and rituals as we review ways to cope and care for ourselves.

Seminars are facilitated by Terri Philbrick, LICSW, a Licensed Independent Social Worker, Grief Counselor and Bereavement Coordinator. All seminars are free-of-charge and open to all families who have experienced a recent loss.

Past Seminars we have sponsored include:
Healing a Spouse's Grieving Heart and Finding Your Way: This seminar was designed to assist individuals through their experience of loss, and the journey following the death of a spouse or partner. We discussed the physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of grief that are unique to this type of loss. We shared ideas to support, cope and care for ourselves as we moved toward healing in our own personal grief experience.

Healing Your Heart in the Shadows of Autumn's Grief: This seminar focused on the season of autumn and how change is all around us. The air becomes crisper, the days shorter and the leaves begin to change color. Much like the emotions of grief, these seasonal changes fill us with yearning as we hold onto the memories, love and traditions of past seasons with those we love.

Grief and Healing Through Changing Seasons: This seminar focused on the sights, sounds and smells of spring which remind us of those we love. How do we stay connected in memory, heal ourselves and make meaning of loss while keeping pace with the changing of seasons? This seminar assisted individuals in remembering, renewing life, strengthening ourselves and understanding our emotions as we entered a new season of life.

Coping with Grief and Healing Your Spirit: This seminar focused on how important it is to stay connected with family and friends ... remembering their loved one. As participants entered their new season of life, they shared their experiences of loss and gained hope and support from one another.

Grieving from the Heart - The Emotions of the Grieving Process: This seminar discussed integrating your loss, understanding your emotions, remembering your loved one and continuing to move on through life. Will I always feel this intensely? What can I expect? Why am I okay one day and not the next? How can I handle people who want me to stop grieving?

Upcoming seminars and support groups are listed on our website, www.milesfuneralhome.com, and are announced in Wachusett area "Landmark", "Worcester Telegram & Gazette", "Barre Gazette" and the Boylston/West Boylston "Banner". Please feel free to contact us at 508-829-4434 or 978-422-0100 should you have any questions or wish to be included on our mailing list for our next seminar.

In addition, Miles Funeral Home has acquired books, pamphlets, and videos in our Bereavement Resource Library on topics including coping with grief and explaining death to children. These tools are available to our local community of families and clergy within the Wachusett/Worcester County areas.