Suicide support group ‘a lifeline’ for bereaved residents

“We’re not a therapy group, but it is very therapeutic,” says Shelagh Ewing, co-founder of the Survivors of Loss by Suicide peer support group.

For the last four years, Ewing and her colleague Kelly O’Donnell have been leading monthly group sessions at Algoma Family Services for residents over 18 who have experienced the loss of a loved one by suicide.

The idea to form a support group started when O’Donnell experienced a devastating loss of her own when her husband ended his life in 2016.

“I thought to myself that if I ever survive this, I’m going to offer a group,” she says. “I’ll find a space to offer this group so other survivors of suicide loss can have a safe place to share their story.”

While it’s not technically therapy, the sessions offer an alternative resource for those dealing with the impacts of familial suicide. The group also provides participants with the opportunity to meet others who have gone through similar experiences.

Ewing and O’Donnell are both registered psychotherapists and volunteer their time on the first Wednesday of each month to hold these 90-minute group sessions – free of charge and with no registration required.

They explain their discussions with attendees are unique compared to the standardized aid that would be expected in a therapy session.

“It’s an open setting,” O’Donnell says. “There’s no real agenda, no registration, and no paperwork. Shelagh and I are there as peers; we’re not there as therapists – it’s a totally different relationship.”

“It’s a lifeline for people,” Ewing adds. “It’s a lot of listening. People can share whatever they want to share and however they want to share it. There’s not a lot of probing and not a lot of questions.”

Since forming the group in 2018, attendance has ranged anywhere from one to ten people, several of whom are regulars.

Although the participants aren’t clients of Algoma Family Services, the organization has provided their space each month to help make the support group another viable option for people struggling with suicide loss.

Like O’Donnell, Ewing has also endured the unexpected loss of a loved one when her uncle died from suicide. Because of their personal experiences, the two can genuinely sympathize with their group members by having meaningful conversations.

“We’re vulnerable too; it can be emotional,” O’Donnell says. “It does so much good for the people who come here that it’s worth that little bit of discomfort. The pain is so real and so raw, and I wouldn’t wish that on anybody.”

Anyone experiencing the loss of a loved one to suicide is invited to attend the group’s next meeting on Sept. 7 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Algoma Family Services on McNabb St. For further information, Shelagh Ewing can be contacted at 705-945-5058, ext. 2320.