Rachel Saffer (she/her/hers) earned her Masters of Social Work from Bridgewater State University in Bridgewater, Massachusetts. Starting as an office volunteer at Austin Grief, Rachel quickly grew to be an integral part of our team.
Rachel has experience in providing counseling to adults, teenagers and children who have experienced significant trauma in both group and individual settings. Rachel utilizes various interventions in her practice including therapeutic yoga, EMDR, and traditional play therapy. She believes in providing every client with a welcoming and safe environment so that they can work towards healing on their own terms.
LIVING ON SUPPORT GROUP
2nd & 4th MONDAY EVENINGS
The membership of this group is men and women who have experienced the death of a spouse or partner and are 18 to 30 months from their loss.
Often, after the initial stages of grief have passed, it can be hard to move on with your life and at the same time allow your relationship with your deceased partner/spouse to live on in your heart. It is not uncommon for widows and widowers to discover that they can feel stuck as time passes. They can reach a point (often in the second year) in grief, where they struggle to move back into a life that has meaning and purpose.
The Austin Center for Grief & Loss has developed a new support group to better meet the needs of this special time. Living On support group is designed for those who are struggling with how to look to the future and form a new identity that integrates this special kind of loss into their lives. It is appropriate for those who have been in an ongoing Bereaved Spouses/Partners group who would like a safe place to explore issues beyond the first 18 months of grief and/or feel ready to find ways to allow their lives to unfold.
Living On Support Group will focus on:
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Discovering how grief has transformed you.
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Clarifying an emerging identity that allows you to be a whole person again.
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Discovering how the person you have lost lives on and influences your life now and in the future.
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Finding courage to create the next chapter of your life story.
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Resolving issues that may be standing in the way of moving on into life.
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Integrating your new sense of self into your relationships with children, in-laws and other relatives.
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Exploring relationship issues that may interfere with dating and new commitments.
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Creating a lifestyle of “living fully’ rather than just surviving.
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Exploring your sense of purpose in the world.
Living On support group will provide a supportive environment to explore these issues through sharing and encouragement among group members, as well as activities and agendas that address the participants specific concerns.
The group is time limited for twelve sessions. The sessions will meet through video meetings with Zoom, using a secured password.
Size of the group: Generally 6-10 members and is facilitated by two trained volunteers.
For more information please call us at 512.472.7878. To create a safe and supportive environment for you and our group members, all new individuals must schedule an intake/orientation prior to their first group meeting.