• Helpful Ways To Deal With Grief

    Elderly man lost in thought

    The grieving process is often a lonely experience. You can feel shut off from the world not knowing where to turn. However, a few helpful resources will allow you explore your feelings of sadness, anger, guilt, and other emotions. But with a little help, you may be able to come to terms with your loss Here are some important resources that will help you get through your time of grief:

    Family and Friends
    Reach out to your family. Find someone who allows you to talk about the loss of your loved one and your feelings towards it openly. You should feel comfortable enough with this person to discuss whatever is on your mind, even if it might be uncomfortable for them to hear. Relating your thoughts and feelings in the open to someone familiar can help you feel less alone during this process.

    Communities of Faith
    If you have are religious, consider reaching out to someone in your community who can help you. There are some leaders and groups in many religious facilities whose purpose is to help others through the grieving process through discussion of religious philosophies.

    Grief Groups
    Consider seeking out communities of grievers . For some, groups like these offer insight into the grief management practices of others. Organizations like Compassionate Friends or THEOS allow people to share their experiences and learn more about the grieving process in a group setting.

    Professional Therapy
    Mixed and unresolved emotions can complicate the grieving process. Sometimes, the circumstances of the events that took place before your loss—like having an argument with the person before they passed—confuse the grieving process. Sharing these feelings and experiences with a professional therapist can help. Having sessions with a therapist doesn’t have to be a long-term commitment. You can solicit the help of a professional one session at a time to address specific issues related to your grief.

    Planning a funeral and ceremony for a loved one who has passed can be daunting task. It’s important to work with a funeral home that respects and addresses your situation by offering professional, caring, and personalized end-of-life services. Chapel of the Chimes in Oakland, CA provides cremation services, signature services, and other funerary needs. Call us today at (510) 992-6709 for more information.

  • Historical Tour at Chapel of the Chimes Oakland!

    Historical Tour

    Please join us for a historical tour Saturday, April 21, 2012 at 10:00 am

    RSVP to:  lcharles@lifemarkgroup.com

  • Supporting a Grieving Loved One

    Senior Couple Sitting On The Park Bench

    Grieving is a highly personal process, and one of life’s most difficult experiences. It can be painful to watch someone you care about go through the process of putting a loved one to rest, but there are some things you can do be supportive during this time. Everyone grieves differently, so it’s important you respect where your loved one is in this painful process

    Actively Listen

    If you don’t know exactly what to say to a loved one after they’ve lost someone, that’s okay. The most important thing to do is actively listen. Let the bereaved know they have permission to talk openly about their feelings and of the death itself. Let your grieving loved one control the conversation. Some of the things your loved one says may be uncomfortable to hear, but just let the person know you’re there to listen.

    Be Honest and Supportive

    Your loved one is hurting during this complex process. When supporting a grieving person , simple statements remind the grieving person you are there for him or her. You can share a favorite memory of the lost loved one, and even simply tell the person that you do not know what to say, while letting him or her know that you are there for any kind of support.

    Don’t Trivialize Your Loved Ones Grief

    Avoid telling your loved one to “look on the bright side” or to not worry because “you’ll get over this.” These may seem like comforting things to say, but in reality, your grieving relative is surrounded by feelings of sadness, anger, or even guilt. You run the risk of belittling your loved one’s grieving process with these types of comments.

    Include Your Loved One in Activities

    Your grieving relative should be encouraged to go out for dinner, coffee, a movie, or other activities. Call and see if your loved one feels like doing something with you. He or she may want to share a quiet evening at home with you instead. If so, go ahead and spend time with the person. Many times, support tends to wane in the weeks following a funeral, so it’s important you keep in social contact with your loved one for months to come.

    If you and family need to plan a ceremony celebrating the life of someone you loved and lost, contact a respectful funeral home. Chapel of the Chimes in Oakland, CA provides cremation, funeral, and many other end-of-life services in a caring and personal manner. Call (510) 992-6709 for more information.

  • Learn More About Grief Counseling And Cremation With These Links

    Funeral Urn with Rose

    Though death can be difficult to face, we all have to keep in mind that it is a necessary part of life. Whether you’re considering with your own death or that of a loved one, the best you can do is to prepare a fitting memorial service that will help you or your remaining loved ones grieve and move forward.

    • The time after a loved one’s death is always filled with difficult emotions. For help coping with these emotions, turn to this page from HelpGuide.org.
    • Death can be an especially difficult concept for children. Help your child better understand death with this page from KidsHealth.org.
    • As we reach the end of life, many of us face the struggle between holding on and letting go . To learn more, visit this page from the Family Caregiver Alliance.   
    • When a loved one passes away, there are often many financial matters left to deal with. For help getting everything in order, visit this page from DailyFinance.com.  
    • Do you need help planning your own funeral or memorial service? Take a look at this page from Funerals.org.

    For more information about any of these topics or anything that we have covered in our recent blog posts, call Chapel of the Chimes Oakland at (510) 992-6709. 

  • Jazz at the Chimes This Sunday!

    Jazz at the Chimes Flyer

  • Create the Perfect Tribute

    When a loved one passes away, we feel compelled to celebrate that person’s life in the best way possible. However, since your loved one had so many great qualities, planning the perfect memorial service can be very difficult.

    In this short video, we see how Chapel of the Chimes can help create a fitting and profound tribute for your loved one. Everyone is different and deserving of their own unique memorial service—that’s why Chapel of the Chimes’ planning specialists are dedicated to helping you plan every detail.   

    If you’ve been charged with the difficult task of planning a loved one’s memorial service, contact us at Chapel of the Chimes . Our staff is standing by to help you in your time of grief. For more information, call us at (510) 992-6709.

  • How Grief Counseling Can Help During a Difficult Time

    Grief Counseling

    There is no worse feeling than that of losing someone close to you—particularly when they seem to have been taken before their time. The prospect of never again being able to hold a loved one in your arms or hear their laughter is often too much for us to bear. However, no one has to face these difficult times alone. Here’s how grief counseling can help in the wake of a loved one’s passing:

    • Finding acceptance

    Since losing a loved one is such an Earth-shattering event, it can often change the way we think about the world. For many of us, it’s difficult to accept that someone is really gone—a part of us may be expecting our loved one to come home at any time. With grief counseling , you can more easily accept the death of a loved one and discover what it means to live in a world without that person.

    • Confronting your feelings

    Death always brings about a complex range of emotions within each of us. Whether you’re sad that you never got to say goodbye to a loved one or mad at yourself for being unable to save him or her, grief counseling can be a step in the right direction. Though your first instinct may be to keep these emotions to yourself, you’ll find that confronting and accepting them is far more liberating.

    • Moving on

    Finally, grief counseling can help you realize that though your loved one’s life is over, but yours is not. You may never be completely “over” the death of a loved one, but grief counseling can help you move on and enjoy your remaining years on Earth.

    If you’ve recently lost a loved one in the Oakland area, you should contact Chapel of the Chimes . In addition to helping you find closure with an appropriate memorial service, we’ll make sure that you receive the grief counseling you need. For more information, call us today at (510) 992-6709.