Grief Support
Grief and bereavement are normal experiences following the loss of someone close to you. We are here for you even after your family member or friend has passed away. You are not alone.
Grief: the highly personal response to loss.
Bereavement: the extended period of adjustment.
Helping You Process Your Grief
Individual Grief Counseling
One-on-one counseling with a professional trained in grief and loss is available to anyone in the greater Benton, Franklin, and Yakima county area, regardless of whether or not your loved one was served by Heartlinks. Processing your story and journey in a supportive environment can be healing. Connect with a Heartlinks grief counselor by calling (509) 837-1676.
Family Support Services
Heartlinks staff and volunteers offer support for families of those on hospice and palliative care. Following the loss of your loved one, you will receive a monthly newsletter with timely information to help you move through the grieving process. Individual grief counseling and help through Heartlinks’ grief support groups are also available to those who desire additional comfort. Our services are not limited to a specific timeline. Please remember that we are always here for you.
Additional Support
If you are in need of additional support, please contact our grief support team at (509) 837-1676.
Sign up for Heart Notes
Written by our grief support specialist, this monthly email newsletter is free and available to anyone, whether or not your loved one was served by Heartlinks. Sign up anytime and unsubscribe if you want to. We understand that grief does not have a timeline.
Upcoming Grief Support Events
Our grief support groups provide a safe place to share one’s emotions with others who are also grieving. They are a great place to learn from others’ experiences. Each person is encouraged to express feelings openly, give support and receive support. Many who participate feel appreciated, understood and accepted.
Our monthly grief support groups are open to anyone in the community grieving the loss of a loved one. RSVP is not required to attend. We hope to see you soon.
Create Your Own Grief Support Group
Perhaps you can begin a grief support group of your own by meeting with fellow grievers at a local coffee shop or eatery? Just being with others who are experiencing grief helps each of us know we are not alone.
If you want to partner with Heartlinks to host a grief or caregiver support group in your community, call 509-837-1676 to speak with the Heartlinks bereavement team.
Grief Resources
Heartlinks Memorial Service
This annual celebration remembers those who have touched our lives. We read the names of those who have passed during the last year and offer a place for you to honor your loved ones.
Grief and the Holidays
For many grieving the loss of someone dear to them, the holidays are not always a joyful time. Holiday traditions and the sense of togetherness are changed forever. For information about this year’s Grief and the Holidays workshops, call (509) 837-1676.
Missing Someone? Light a Candle.
We invite you to remember someone dear to you. Please consider lighting a candle in memory of your loved one.
Your Grief Support Team
Joan Souders, CGE
Grief Support Specialist
Joan is a certified grief educator and ordained minister and has been the grief support specialist at Heartlinks since 2016.
Joan also served as an assisted living center administrator in Prosser and has more than 42 years of public service. She is currently a member of the Grandview City Council and participates in the Grandview Rotary Club. She served as a pastor and administrator for more than 34 years with the Salvation Army. Joan has years of grief support experience and has extensive training in bereavement.
Craig Timmons, M.Div.
Spiritual and Grief Services Supervisor
Craig has worked in hospice care for more than 15 years and joined Heartlinks in 2023.
Craig earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Washington State University. He holds a Master of Education from City University and a Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary. He completed his chaplain training residency program at Emmanuel Hospital in Portland focusing on pediatric care and burn recovery.
Blooming Hearts Grief Support Kit
Request a bag of items from Heartlinks to help a young person walk through grief. They include a journal, activity book, craft supplies, snacks and tissues. Support kits must be picked up at one of our offices in Richland, Grandview or Yakima unless otherwise arranged. If you need more than four kits, contact our office at (509) 837-1676.
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