Anam Cara Bereavement Event - Castlebar, Co. Mayo

Anam Cara is a national voluntary support organisation set up by bereaved parents to provide support and understanding to families who have experienced the tragic death of a precious son or daughter.

Anam Cara are facilitating a Professional Bereavement event in Co Mayo on Wednesday 2nd March at the Family Centre Church Street, Castlebar.

This event is open to all bereaved parents. At Anam Cara we don't identify ourselves by the age of our child, how they died or when they died. It may have been a cot death or a still birth, suicide, road traffic cccident, Drug related deaths or Serious illness. We identify ourselves as parents who have lost a precious son or daughter, trying to find our way through our grief and pain.

The guest Speaker for the evening is Brid Carroll, she will give her talk on "Coping with loss when a child dies".

The talk will highlight the complex issues which grieving parents must face when they have lost a child highlighting what is normal in this process.

The gender differences in facing such a loss will be explored to give an understanding for both parents of their differing worldviews.

It will highlight the milestones on the journey through this special grief and the small supports that can make the journey a little easier.

Various types of loss whether expected or sudden will also be discussed to understand their impact on grieving parents, their families and the deceased child's siblings.

Finally the need to support bereaved siblings within their natural support networks will be discussed illustrating how parent's can combine such support with their own grieving.
Brid is a qualified Psychotherapist and Counselling Supervisor who has worked with a special interest in loss and bereavement issues for over twenty years. She holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Childhood Bereavement with St. Christopher's Hospice, London and a Higher Diploma in Bereavement Studies from the Royal College of Surgeons and NUI Ireland.

Brid has worked with the Irish Hospice Foundation and the HSE as Bereavement Liaison Officer in the HSE South region. Brid is presently counselling children, young people and families dealing with loss and change through death separation and illness. Presently, she provides training with various groups in the areas of personal development, self-care and bereavement and loss and family systems throughout Ireland.

Date: Wednesday 2nd March 2011

Venue: The Family Centre, Chapel Street, Castlebar, Co. Mayo.

Time: 7.30pm - 9.30pm

Cost: All Anam Cara services are offered free of charge to our parents.

Anam Cara will be facilitating other similar events in the coming months around Ireland, see our website for more information.

As we need to confirm numbers for room set up, we would appreciate if you could RSVP to info@anamcara.ie before the 1st March 2011, or call 01 4045378.

For more information about Anam Cara visit our website www.anamcara.ie or contact us at info@anamcara.ie or call us on 014045378 or on our information line 085 2 888 888