Flathead Valley Resources

Flathead-meetingOn October 6, 2009, Tamarack Grief Resource Center (TGRC) coordinated an initial gathering of Grief Support Providers in the Flathead Valley. This event was hosted by the Wellness Resource Center in Kalispell. Jane Lopp’s Prudential Insurance Agency provided financial support to create an email network of contact information for the community. This “virtual” Grief Support Providers Network information will be regularly posted on TGRC’s Web site and emailed to interested providers and community members. Please contact Carrie Thiel for more information: flatheadtgrc@live.com.

Updated as of September 2011:

Life After Loss is a free monthly grief support group for individuals and/or couples who have experienced miscarriage, stillbirth and neonatal loss. The group meets on the first Tuesday of each month (starting October 4), from 6:00-7:30pm at the Cornerstone Building at 3004 Hospital Way, south end of North Valley Hospital campus. Call Carrie, (406) 261-0724; or Denise, (406) 863-3535 for more information.

TGRC’s Women’s Grief Support Group: Women grieving the death of a family member are invited to gather for a group focusing on support, connection, and remembrance.  Women will explore ideas related to self-care, continuing bonds with the deceased, healthy grieving, family concerns and more. We will meet Tuesdays from 1:00pm-2:15pm, at the Tamarack Grief Resource Center office, 17 Second Street East,  room 208, in Kalispell. First meeting will be Feb. 14 and continue through March 20. For questions or more information call (406) 261-0724. Call or email for registration materials. Must be registered to attend.

Home Options Hospice offers “A Gathering Place of Love” with Lon Eliason and Chaplain Bob Thornton. This includes support groups and counseling. Contact Chaplain Bob at: BThor@KRMC.org

Frontier Hospice: Bereavement Support Group, open to the community, on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month.  Meetings are held at the Frontier Hospice offices at 29 2nd Street East, Kalispell in the Grace Room downstairs. Contact Frontier Hospice Bereavement Coordinator for information at: (406) 755-4923 or jhearon@frontierhhh.com.

SOLAS: Surviving Our Loss After Suicide is a support group for those who have lost a loved one to suicide.  Monthly meetings are held on the first Monday of the month from 7-8:30pm at the Summit Conference Room. September meeting is held on the second Monday. Contact Joan Schmidt at: jschmidt06@centurytel.net or call at 406-871-1008.

GriefShare: 13 week grief support program, meeting in the Fall and Spring.  Diane Dolvan facilitates this group at Christ Lutheran Church in Whitefish.  More information is available at www.griefshare.org or through the church website at: www.clcwhitefish.org.

Family Directed Funerals with consultant Joan Hearon. Joan can be reached at: Joan@GuidedHomeFunerals.com. Her phone number is 406-249-8061.

Risen Christ Catholic Church offers pastoral counseling with Diane Slobojan who can be reached at: slobojan@bresnan.net.

JoAnn Graves Gill offers a 12 week grief group in her counseling practice.  She can be reached at: williwaw@bresnan.net.

Carrie Thiel, MA, Tamarack Grief Resource Center Flathead Program Coordinator, has worked with school counselors offering school-based support groups for students. She would be happy to discuss these programs, and/or other school related grief issues, and can be reached at (406) 261-0724 or flatheadtgrc@live.com

Individual and Family Counselors present at event:

Ann Waltz, ND, Naturopathic Physician working with the physiologic effects of stress, trauma and grief, eg. anxiety, insomnia and depression.  Ann can be contacted at: 756-0308 or drannwaltz@gmail.com.

Tammie Wolfe, Wolfe Family Massage, provides Massage Therapy for all ages from a therapist with a background in Hospice work. Contact her at: woodswolff@aol.com.

Scott Lampshire, DC, Wellness practice. Contact him at: herennow@montanasky.com.

Department of Children and Family Services Social Workers: Pat Sylvia and Diane Piorek, are working with children who cannot live with parents. Contact them at: psylvia@mt.gov or dpiorek@mt.gov.

Thank you all again for your enthusiastic support of this Flathead Grief Support Network Project. Please let others know how to join us in this effort and feel free to contact me with any questions or additional postings you may have at: flatheadtgrc@live.com. – Carrie Thiel, MA, TGRC Flathead Valley Program Coordinator.