From Brisbane to the Sunshine Coast, and across communities in Rockhampton, Toowoomba, and the Gold Coast, BlueCare's Grief and Loss program has offered solace, understanding, and hope.
With hundreds of volunteer hours dedicated to supporting people at their most vulnerable, the reach of the program has been both wide and deeply personal. Each hour represents a story, a conversation, a step forward in someone’s healing journey.
Barb Betts, Grief and Loss Program Learning & Development Lead, has been working with the Queensland Health initiative Specialist Palliative Rural Telehealth Service (SPaRTa) over the past 12 months.
She recently joined a Grief and Loss expo in Stanthorpe – held in conjunction with local funeral directors, local council, churches and Qld health staff.
“It was an opportunity for the people of the region to learn about all the services available to them, to talk about their grief journey and listen to others’ stories,’’ Barb shares.
“As we don't always feel comfortable talking about death and grief, expos such as this are a great opportunity for people to come together to learn and see what support is available. Thanks to the team of people who put in the hard work to make this a reality.”
A new chapter begins
Renowned grief therapist and author Claire Bidwell Smith brings fresh insight with her latest book, Conscious Grieving. This transformative guide offers a compassionate framework for navigating the complex terrain of loss.
Smith outlines four stages of conscious grieving:
- Entering into Grief – Encouraging us to be present with our pain and to honour the wide range of emotions that accompany loss.
- Engaging in Grief – Helping us stay connected to our feelings as they evolve, especially beyond the first year.
- Surrendering to the Loss – Acknowledging how grief reshapes our identity and accepting the changes it brings.
- Transforming in our Loss – Discovering healing and hope as we integrate our grief into a renewed sense of self.
Whether you’re just beginning your journey or have been walking this path for some time,Conscious Grieving and BlueCare’s Grief and Loss program reminds us; healing is possible, and you don’t have to do it alone. As Barb says of the Grief groups - “What continues to amaze me is the growth and change that can happen for people in the eight weeks of the program. I have often heard it called ‘the magic’ of the group. We don’t magically get rid of their grief, but the mutual support a group offers is as powerful as the knowledge gained.’”
