Suicide Loss Ministry
If you or a loved one is in immediate danger, please call 911.
If you would like to talk with a counselor, please call our church staff at (817) 431-2545.
Suicide Loss Christian Care
Who?
Find support in a group of fellow survivors who grieve the loss of a loved one to suicide. Suicide Loss Christian Care meets on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. at First Baptist Church Keller for survivors in the north Fort Worth community.
This group provides support to family members of persons who have ended their own lives, dealing with common issues and theological questions which time alone cannot heal. Persons may attend at any stage of their grief and may attend as long as desired. There is no charge.
Please contact the facilitators, Bob and Sally Anderlitch by calling (817) 431-2545 ext. 114 or emailing SuicideLoss@fbckeller.org for more information. Bob and Sally are survivors, having lost their son in 2009.
Why?
Why do we benefit from a Christian Support Group for bereavement?
- We can receive personal warmth and spiritual support at a time when we need it most.
- We can learn about grief.
- We can learn from others' experiences and feelings.
- We can share our story of loss with fellow survivors who will not judge.
- Grieving a suicide can be isolating; a support group connects us with others who grieve a similar loss.
- We can remind each other that:
- God is in control when our lives seem out of control.
- In Jesus Christ, we find hope for tomorrow.
- The Holy Spirit will comfort and direct us.
- Caring people are praying for grieving families.
- We can share resources from outside the group that others have found helpful.
How?
How does coping with a suicide death differ from “regular” grief?
Sometimes there is a feeling of stigma, that others will be shocked and judgmental about this kind of death.
The “why” question seems to be more pronounced: often suicide survivors feel almost compelled to solve the mystery of their loved one’s death. There is a feeling if one can only gather enough information, the death will make sense.
Emotions such as anger and guilt may be more intense.
Some survivors may experience post-traumatic stress syndrome, especially if he or she had to deal directly with the death. This can involve an intense fear about another traumatic event happening and requires special counseling. The American Psychiatric Association ranks the trauma of losing a loved one to suicide as “catastrophic” – on par with that of a concentration camp experience.