KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 7 — Death of a loved one by suicide is a major life-altering crisis and it can evoke a variety of excruciating emotions in a suicide survivor such as anger, guilt, feelings of abandonment and helplessness.

Many of those who are bereaved by suicide face a long and painful journey of acknowledging and expressing their own emotions, and coming to terms with what has happened. 

As suicide is still considered a taboo subject by our society, The Befrienders KL is initiating a support group for those who have lost loved ones to suicide.

Healing Connections aims to provide a safe space for suicide survivors to manage the difficult and complicated emotions, share about their struggles without being judged, find support in each other and cope with the loss healthily

The World Health Organisation (WHO) also strongly recommends peer support groups for those bereaved by suicide, for a variety of reasons including the fact that they have less opportunities to discuss their grief within their own communities than other bereaved persons.

The Healing Connections support group will be a closed group and it is open to those aged 21 and above, and who have lost a loved one to suicide, not less than one year ago.

The first instalment of Healing Connections will be held for three sessions at The Befrienders KL branch at 95 Jalan Templer, Petaling Jaya. The sessions will run from 2.30pm till 4.30pm on the dates given below:

— Session one: September 1, 2018 (Saturday)

— Session two: October 6, 2018 (Saturday)  

— Session three: November 3, 2018 (Saturday)

Please note that attendance is compulsory for all sessions. More for details or to register for help, please contact Kenny Lim at 03-79571306 or email admin@befrienders.org.my.