The Austin Hatcher Foundation To Offer New Grief Support Group
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (Dec. 22, 2021) – The Austin Hatcher Foundation is offering a sixteen-week grief support
group, led by Susan Latta, LMFT, FT who holds a Fellow in Thanatology, the study of death and dying, and has over 35 years of experience in grief counseling.
The Austin Hatcher Foundation will offer an eight-session support group over sixteen weeks. The sessions will be the second and fourth Tuesday of each month beginning January 11, 2022. Each session will take place from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., and child care will be provided.
The experience of grieving a loved one is different for each individual. The holidays can often be overwhelming for families who have experienced loss, and those that have been impacted by pediatric cancer may see this time as a constant reminder of painful memories of their childhood cancer journey. The Austin Hatcher Foundation for Pediatric Cancer is here to help those families adapt and cope in the present and thrive in the future after their loss.
This grief support group will be led by Latta alongside the foundation’s other licensed therapists. There will be both male and female counselors available to support individuals in need.
“For parents who have lost a child, it makes no sense for life to end at such a young age. The loss cuts so deep that it can be suffocating,” says Foundation President, Amy Jo Osborn. “The loss of a child or spouse from pediatric cancer can be overwhelming, and the holidays are especially difficult. This group is to help parents, caregivers, and spouses know that they are not alone. To help participants reduce stress, minimize loneliness, how to seek and accept help and self-care.”
This support group is open to any adult who has lost an immediate family member to pediatric cancer. Those interested can sign up by contacting Foundation Therapist, Tyler Clemmons, at tyler@hatcherfoundation.org. Sessions will be closed to new participants after January 25, 2022. There will be a waiting list available for those who wish to sign up after this date.
The Austin Hatcher Foundation Grief Support Program will continue to grow throughout 2022, offering other focus areas such as grief support group for siblings. To learn more about the programs offered or to schedule an individual session, please visit www.hatcherfoundation.org/divisions for more information.
