WAVES AFTER SUICIDE GROUP
Losing someone to suicide is an unimaginable pain, and navigating the grief that follows can feel overwhelming and isolating. The WAVES Grief Education Programme offers a compassionate, structured, and supportive environment for adults who are bereaved by suicide. This eight-week group is designed to help you understand and manage your grief, build resilience, and find hope during profound loss.
WAVES is not just another support group—it's a transformative experience that connects you with others who truly understand what you're going through. By participating, you will have the chance to share your journey with people who are walking a similar path. The bonds you form here can become a vital source of strength and healing.​
Grief Education Program for Adults 18+ Bereaved by Suicide
Take the first step towards healing:
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If you have experienced the loss of a loved one to suicide, you don't have to go through this alone. Joining WAVES gives you the opportunity to not only learn valuable coping strategies but also to connect with others who understand the unique challenges you face.
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The WAVES programme is facilitated by highly trained counsellors and grief educators from Grief Support Services, who have the expertise to guide you through the complexities of grief. They are there to support you every step of the way in a warm, professional, and empathetic environment.
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We are now accepting registrations for the Term 2, 2025 group being run on Mondays 5:30pm to 7:30pm from 28 April to 23 June (excluding 2 June). If you're ready to begin your healing journey, we invite you to register today and take part in this empowering, life-changing programme. Let WAVES help you find strength, meaning, and connection in your grief.​
Here's how WAVES can support you:
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Process and manage thoughts and feelings:
The aftermath of suicide brings a complex swirl of emotions—guilt, anger, confusion, sadness. WAVES gives you the space to process these emotions with the guidance of qualified counsellors who specialise in grief. You’ll learn how to understand and manage these feelings, so they no longer feel so overpowering.
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Find meaning in your experience:
In the wake of such a traumatic loss, it can be hard to make sense of what has happened. WAVES provides tools to help you explore and reflect on your experience, enabling you to find meaning, however small, amid tragedy. This can be the first step towards healing and accepting what you cannot change.
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Understand suicide and its impact:
Suicide is complex, and its effects ripple out in ways that are often hard to articulate. During the programme, you will discuss the nature of suicide in a safe and respectful space, learning more about the emotional and psychological impact it has on those left behind. This understanding can help alleviate some of the confusion and stigma that often accompanies a suicide loss.
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Gain tools for self-care and support for others:
Caring for yourself after such a loss is essential—but it can be difficult to know where to begin. WAVES equips you with strategies to nurture your own well-being, and it also teaches you how to support others, including children and young people who may be affected by the loss. You'll learn practical ways to heal and to help those around you heal as well.
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Adjust to living with loss:
Healing from a suicide loss is a journey, not a destination. WAVES supports you in adjusting to life without your loved one, while also helping you move forward with your life. It’s about finding hope again, discovering new sources of strength, and learning how to live with your grief in a way that supports your well-being.
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Interactive and supportive environment:
The programme is designed to be interactive, with a blend of education, discussion, and practical exercises. It’s a safe, welcoming space where you can speak openly without judgement. The group size of 4-8 people ensures that everyone receives personal attention and the opportunity to connect deeply with others.
Here's what previous participants of WAVES programmes from around New Zealand shared about their experience.
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Social connection and a safe space to talk:
"It was a place to feel comfortable in our grief and a place to feel comfortable to acknowledge the truth and reality of the event. It was a safe place to share our feelings and experiences. It was a place to make connections with others who have lived experience of suicide, and it was a place to forge friendships and relationships out of the cruellest of circumstances."
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Validation, reasssurance, and reducing stigma:
"It normalised my feelings and grief responses and made me feel that I wasn’t the only one feeling lonely during this time."
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Learning, understanding, and gaining useful tools:
"I can now think/plan for a positive future using tools from the programme rather than being continually overwhelmed with grief. I am better able to cope with work/everyday tasks and I am feeling more positive about the future."
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Remembering, self-care, transformation, and growth:
"It just kind of triggered a real wake-up call for me and a real enthusiasm to get on with my life. This thing that has happened is just a little part of it that happened in the middle, and there is so much potential to grow around it. Now I don’t feel like I am just surviving that I am just back to being myself."
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