Charlotte Varcoe
A CHANGE in circumstances has prompted In Home Hospice Care (IHHC) to pursue a dedicated office space for grief counsellor Glenny Tiller.
After reaching out to other community-based organisations in search for a space, Lifeline South East stepped up providing a comfortable and spacious area.
Ms Tiller – funded by the Masonic Charities Trust – will continue to provide grief, loss and bereavement counselling to those in need from a new comfortable space.
The new collaborative approach had already proven successful with Ms Tiller picking up new clients through both organisations.
“Everyone who has come into this office, whether it be new or old clients, have noted how it is much more spacious, airy and light,” Ms Tiller said.
“It feels more comfortable and like it is somewhere you can discuss tough topics.”
She said while people were receiving grief counselling there were tough topics being tackled and “raw and ugly” emotions.
“If you are opening your heart and talking about the things which are happening in your head and heart while you are grieving you need to be able to feel like you are in a good space,” Ms Tiller said.
She said the clientele had been picking up quickly, adding to the long time clients.
“Recently I was very excited to have a doctor referred client which I think is a first for us and that was great,” Ms Tiller said.
“I have been focusing on counselling because the client numbers have built considerably and so have my hours which is a win-win.”
However, she said people remained afraid to come forward for grief counselling.
“That is something which bothers me because I am here to help and those that do come and see me have felt hope afterwards,” Ms Tiller said.
“They realise they are normal, they are not going mad and their thoughts and grief are validated and those feelings are deep and ugly which is true to grief.”
She said it often took people a bit of time to come around to grief counselling with the initial reaction being numbness or sorrow.
“That is the shock of the whole situation so it does take a while for that to sink in,” she said.
“I have clients who have had long-term grief and they are still working through that.”
She said grief also covered incidents such as a loss of jobs, relationships and more.
Lifeline South East chief executive Leah Griffin welcomed Ms Tiller to the office space, stating sourcing a grief counsellor was already on the organisation’s radar.
“We saw the need for this in the community and there was definitely a gap for bereavement services,” Ms Griffin said.
“It was something we were looking into getting when we received the email about Glenny needing an office space.
“We are going to start looking around for the gaps in the community and see how we could fill those gaps and we thought this was a soft level entry way of doing that.”
She said having Ms Tiller provide the service was also an “easy transition” for lifelong Lifeline South East clients.
“They feel comfortable to come in as grief, loss and bereavement counselling is very complimentary to our existing services and also where we want to go in the future,” Ms Griffin said.
“We really believe we are stronger together and the two agencies work really hard to support the community and get the best outcomes for clients.”
Ms Tiller is available on Thursday and Fridays and can be contacted on 0422 832 975.
In Home Hospice Care is currently also looking for a permanent office space with the team contactable on 0437 246 484.
