OUR GROUPS
Suicide Survivors Grief Group – For those grieving the loss of a loved one by suicide. Meets every Tuesday from 6:00-7:30 pm. Topics may include: dealing with grief, unresolved questions, coping with anger, loneliness, honoring the person who suicided, PTSD & depression, relationships with others, people who don’t understand, and feelings of guilt, among others.
Living with Psychic/Physical Pain Group – For those feeling tired & hopeless, and for whom suicide may seem like a viable option. Intended for those who are not part of the mental health “system”. Topics may include: coping with depression, wanting the pain to go away, sources of emotional pain, loneliness, coping mechanisms, what’s not working, triggers for suicidal thoughts, emotional numbing, and others.
Our groups have a non-religious focus and are confidential. They are facilitated by a loss survivor who is also a social worker.
We meet at The Warrior Project’s present location, at 189 B Main Street in Lewiston ME 04240 (rear entrance).
HOW TO FIND US
From Main Street in Lewiston, turn onto Park Street and park in the first parking space on the street that’s available. The meters are free after 5:00 pm and on weekends.
You’ll see a small shop at the very beginning of Park Street (for GPS purposes, that address is 5 Park Street, Lewiston ME 04240). The shop is being reorganized as Papa’s Thrift Shop. The light should be on inside to help you see it, although the shop will not be open.
Facing Papa’s Thrift Shop, you’ll see an alley to its left. A silver Jeep will probably be parked in that alley, near our entrance door on that side of the building.
Please enter through that back door off the alley. (You may hear a dog barking inside; she won’t bother you, but she is loud until she settles down.)
There will be a sign posted on the door:
GROUP PARAMETERS (to be read at the beginning of each group)
This is not a therapy group. It is a support and self-help group, meaning we each should be able to support one another and learn from one another.
The goal and expectation is to keep this group as positive as possible, while also acknowledging that the topics we’re dealing with are often very painful and could trigger difficult thoughts, feelings and/or behaviors in other group members or ourselves.
If I think someone in this group is actively suicidal or is likely to harm themselves or someone else, I will make a call to 911 or Crisis, or if necessary, I’ll ask someone else in this group to do so. I do understand that many who are dealing with chronic psychic or physical pain use suicidal thoughts as their “go to” or back up plan, meaning you may not be actively suicidal right now, but it could become a serious threat at any point in the future. If suicide is your back up plan, please, please talk to me about this outside the group. You have options other than that final drastic step.
With that said I do understand that there are times when people might say I just want to die and it doesn’t mean that they want to kill themselves or harm themselves. It may just mean that person is so sad there’s no other way to express the depth of the loneliness and loss. I’ve been there. I’m still there sometimes.
Please remember that anything said in this group is confidential and not to be disclosed outside the group in any manner that could identify a member. For that reason, I must also request that cell phone use be limited as – believe it or not – there have been people caught taking photos in groups and hospital emergency rooms, and then posting them on Facebook. That is a serious violation of human decency. So is any kind of bullying, harassment, or hassling members in any fashion.
Although there is no fee to attend this group it would be wonderful if members would be able to donate at least a dollar or so for the coffee, water and/or anything else you might use while here. The rent isn’t cheap and as of right now, it’s coming out of my pocket.
Along with that, is a sort of plug for our shops right here in this building: Heritage Collectibles and Heritage Books & Maps, which my husband and I own. Johnny loved those shops, especially the bookstore, which was his baby.
If you think of it and are so inclined, please let your friends know about the shops. The net profits – if any, and so far there haven’t been any – will be donated to The Warrior Project to help keep it going.
MORE GROUP GUIDELINES
1. Confidentiality – Everything shared in our groups is confidential and is not to leave the room. All group members need to feel assured of this and to trust that their thoughts and feelings will not be betrayed.
2. Giving Advice – The groups are intended as safe places to share feelings and experiences. Giving of advice should be limited to describing how certain actions helped (or didn’t help) a group member addressing his/her own situation. Beware of saying “You should do X”.
3. Responsibility – All members share the responsibility to make the group work.
4. Acceptance – The group accepts members just as they are, and avoids making judgments.
5. One Speaker At A Time – Groups are most beneficial when all participants have the opportunity to share and discuss individual issues or concerns. Members must be mindful of limited time and give each person enough time to speak without interruptions.
6. Giving Attention – Members will give supportive attention to the person who is speaking and avoid side conversations.
7. Avoid Interruptions – If an interruption is necessary, return the conversation to the person who was speaking.
8. Sharing – Sharing is encouraged, but not required.
9. Questions – Group members have the right to ask questions and the right to refuse to answer.
10. Be In The Present – Members try to be aware of their own feelings and talk about what is present now, rather than what life was like in the past.
11. Discussion – The group does not discuss group members who are not present.
12. Begin And End On Time – The meeting will begin and end on time
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The Warrior Project is NOT an emergency program or service.
In the event of a crisis, please call 911
In the United States, other numbers to call include:
Maine Crisis Hotline:
1-888-568-1112
National Suicide Prevention Hotline:
800-273-8255
Veterans Suicide Hotline:
800-273-8255
Domestic Violence Hotline:
800-799-7233
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At this time, The Warrior Project is limited to our two weekly support groups, as well as our blog (website: https://warrior-project.org); our Twitter account: @WarriorProjME; our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thewarriorproject/; and on MeetUp: https://www.meetup.com/Lewiston-Grief-Support-Meetup/
The Warrior Project will eventually become a warm, welcoming drop-in center for those living with extreme emotional and/or physical pain coupled with hopelessness, and a resource for families and friends fearing for the life of, or grieving the loss of, the person they love so much.
For more on grief, suicide and other pertinent topics, use the “Search” feature in the sidebar on this page.
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In memory of my beloved husband John Kelly Snyder… 20 Sept 1956 – 21 Oct 2016.
My Johnny was a true warrior, fighting demons no one else could see. I thought he was the strongest man in the world, and perhaps he was, but tragically, the demons got the better of him.
The name of this project is in no way intended to be reflective of, or piggy back off, Wounded Warriors which serves those wounded after September 11, 20o1. Like too many others, Johnny was a warrior long before then.
The Grief Warrior Project 