Lived Experience Forum

[amandaGL]

Hi @Owlunar, that's amazing!  We value our volunteer counsellors so much - they are the essence of Griefline.  

[Daisydreamer]

Thank you so much for being here with us tonight @amandaGL! We are so grateful you could join us to talk about grief and loss, which is a big topic in our community. 

To get us started, we would love to learn more about Griefline and the work that you do.

Question 1: What is Griefline and how do the Griefline forums support people experiencing grief?

And for our community, have you experienced grief or loss before? And if so, where are you at in your healing journey?

[amandaGL]

Question 1: What is Griefline and how do the Griefline forums support people experiencing grief?

Griefline is a national not for profit offering free anonymous telephone counselling to adults experiencing grief and loss.  Our Helpline is available across Australia and runs from 6am to midnight (AET) every day of the year.  Our online resource hub provides informative articles, coping strategies and self-care tools.  

My main focus is the Griefline forums, launched late last year as a space for peer-to-peer support.  Like the SANE forums, it unites people with a lived experience.  Posting on the forums ticks a few grief-work boxes too;

• expressing your story in writing crystallises the grief experience, leading to a deeper understanding
• providing support to others is empowering 
• reading about shared experiences normalises what you’re going through - making you feel less isolated. 

[Daisydreamer]

That's amazing @Owlunar!

[Shaz51]

Thanks @Daisydreamer , @amandaGL 

Looking forward to  tonight talk 

[Owlunar]

I really like doing it - back then we had calls transferred to our home phone - I am wondering if TCs are still doing that or whether they are in a facilty as they are at Life LIne

[Zoe7]

@Daisydreamer Still very much feeling my recent loss and with a one year anniversary of another coming up - still working through it.

[amandaGL]

@Owlunar these days our Volunteers work remotely as we have TC's in every state of Australia now that we are a national Helpline. 

[CalmingNature]

A year ago, I lost 2 close family members and a close friend within a 9 month period. It was incredibly difficult and healing is definitely a long process but I'm getting there slowly but surely.

[Owlunar]

A year isn't very long at all @Zoe7  when it comes to a loss - it has taken me decades - I have only really become " used to it" during the last 10 years or so but still have my moments