Connect Today to Start the Healing Process
"Our ongoing commitment to all those involved with BFO Ottawa is to listen and learn and then lead through our actions in order to build and support an organization that is diverse, equitable and inclusive for all".
Our grief peer support programs and memorial events support more than 2100 bereaved individuals in our community, annually. We help and support people in Ottawa who are experiencing the death of someone important in their lives.
Our programs are offered virtually and in-person. Our memorial events are held in-person.
Everyone is welcome to participate regardless of religion, culture, ethnicity, physical ability or gender. Call the office for more information, and to find out which programs are best for you.
We receive no ongoing government funding. We rely on the generosity of donations from our group participants and applying for grants in order to run these bereavement support groups.
This evening is Virtual via Zoom.
On the first Tuesday of every month, 7-9 pm, join us for an evening of grief education and bereavement support.
The evening begins with a guest speaker.
Then we break out into 5 peer grief support groups:
- Death from suicide
- Death of a child
- Death of a parent
- Death of a sibling/friend/relative
- Death of a spouse/partner
Join us Tuesday January 7, 2024.
Our speaker, Dr. Jennifer Vriend, is talking about Self-Compassion in the New Year.
As the holiday season closes, many of us are navigating a mix of emotions. Dr. Vriend discusses grief and the vital role of self-compassion—treating ourselves with kindness and understanding during difficult times. Through sharing personal experiences, she offers insights for navigating grief with patience and care.
Dr. Jennifer Vriend (Ph.D., C.Psych.) is a Clinical Psychologist working in private practice in Ottawa providing psychological services to children, adolescents, and families. She is the co-owner of Queensview Professional Services and co-host of “The Coping Toolbox: A Child Psych Podcast” (https://thecopingtoolbox.podbean.com/).
Registration ends at 5pm on the day of this program OR earlier if registration is full.
BFO relies on donations to run this program. Suggested donations of $25 per session are appreciated. If you can, please donate.
Before joining, please review the attached documents about how to participate in a Zoom call, our virtual disclaimer and etiquette guidelines.
Visit our Youtube channel to watch videos of our past speakers.
Join us every Wednesday from noon to 1:30 pm for a casual grief walk and talk, along the Ottawa River.
Sign up begins at 11:50 am in the lobby of the Bronson Centre, 211 Bronson Avenue. Our volunteer facilitators will be there to greet you.
No advance registration is required. Just drop by.
Our charity relies on donations to run this program. Suggested donations of $20 per weekly session are appreciated. Click here to donate.
This group meets every week on Thursday, noon to 1:30pm.
Join us as we come together to connect and share in our collective grief from experiencing the death of someone important in our lives. Experience the benefits of a bereavement peer group in a supportive space. This trained grief facilitator led group welcomes all bereaved individuals.
Registration in advance is required.
It is virtual via Zoom every 1st, 3rd and 5th Thursday.
It is in-person every 2nd and 4th Thursday.
Our in-person groups meet in our BFO office at 211 Bronson Ave. (near Somerset). It is located in Centretown with easy access off the 417 highway.
Registration closes at 11am Thursday, or earlier if the group is full.
We receive no ongoing government funding and rely on individual donations to run this program. Suggested donations of $20 per session are appreciated. If you can, please donate here.
Before joining, please review the attached documents about how to participate in a Zoom call, our virtual disclaimer and Etiquette guidelines.
Click on the pink buttons to register for each week you'd like to attend.
A Green Therapy walk in nature. Join us for fresh air, exercise and companionship on an informal grief walk.
Share grief experiences, receive support or simply walk amongst others who understand.
The pathway is a mixture of both trail and Paved
Beaver Pond Trail, Kanata West, off Walden Drive
Saturdays, 11am - noon
The walk is led by trained volunteer facilitators.
Our programs are free. Suggested donations of $10 per weekly sessions are appreciated. If you can, please donate.
Our seasonal Closed Groups are held in the spring and fall.
These groups run weekly for 8 sessions with the same group of participants. Together with trained facilitators, a different grief topic is discussed each week. These groups allow for a deeper exploration of grief.
An 8-week attendance commitment is required. Group size is limited. Priority is given to people who have attended our other bereavement support programs. These are not Open/Drop-in groups.
5 specific groups are offered:
- Death from suicide
- Death of a child
- Death of a parent
- Death of a sibling/friend/relative
- Death of a spouse/partner
Groups run Virtually via Zoom OR In-person, depending on volunteer availability.
IN-PERSON groups are held in our office at 211 Bronson Ave., room 303. Located in Centretown with easy access from the 417 Highway.
Click on the pink WAIT LIST button below if you are interested in joining our groups. We will contact you when group details are finalized. And let you know the next steps in the registration process.
Our charity relies on individual donations in order to run these groups. Donations of $35/weekly for a 2-hour group is suggested. If you can, please donate.
This IN-PERSON seasonal closed group is held in Winter, Spring and Fall.
Expressive art therapy is a form of working through bereavement. This is NOT an art class. There is no requirement to be artistic. It explores & gives expression to the challenging feelings of grief.
It runs weekly for 8 sessions with the same group of participants.
Together with trained facilitators, expressive art is created each week using different modalities. This group allows for a deeper exploration of grief. There is a focus on a different grief topic each week.
An 8-week attendance commitment is required. Group size is limited. Priority is given to people who have attended our other bereavement support programs.
- Dates: Winter & Spring 2025 TBD
- Time: Winter & Spring 2025 TBD
- Location: Winter & Spring 2025 TBD
Click on the pink WAIT LIST buttons below if you are interested in joining our group. We will contact you when group details are finalized. And will let you know the next steps in the registration process.
Our charity relies on individual donations in order to run this group. Donations of $35 for a 2-hour group is suggested. Materials and supplies included. If you can, please donate.
Types of Losses
Loss of Child
Participants who take part in our support programs are experiencing the death of their child, of any age. They are united in sharing the pain associated with being a bereaved parent. By sharing their stories, as well as the courage and strength they’ve gained through their grief journey, our facilitators and participants help guide each other through their bereavement. Loss of child groups are available through our Tuesday monthly Support and Share Nights and Closed Groups offered in the spring and fall. These support groups are led by trained volunteer facilitators who have grieved the death of their child years ago. They have been where you are now.
Loss of Spouse or Partner
Losing a spouse or partner can feel like losing a piece of yourself. No longer having your partner there through the ups and downs of life can be scary and lonely. We have many participants and trained facilitators who have each gone through the loss of a spouse or partner. By sharing our stories of loss, we support one another with friendship, compassion, and understanding. Loss of spouse/partner groups are available through our Tuesday monthly Support and Share Nights and Closed Groups offered in the spring and fall. These support groups are led by trained volunteer facilitators who have grieved the death of their spouse/partner years ago. They have been where you are now.
Loss of Parent, Sibling, Relative, or Friend
They each play many different roles in our lives. They may be mentors, dear friends, or an irreplaceable branch of our family tree. We use the life experience of our trained facilitators and participants who have lost a parent, relative, sibling, or friend to help us work through the worst parts of our grief. Loss of a parent, sibling, relative, or friend groups are available through our Tuesday monthly Support and Share Nights and Closed Groups offered in the spring and fall. These support groups are led by trained volunteer facilitators who have grieved the death of their parent/sibiling/friend years ago. They have been where you are now.
Loss by Suicide
Loss by suicide can be traumatic and devastating. In addition to grieving their person, it is difficult to deal with how their person died. Our facilitators who have experienced loss by suicide provide an environment of trust and understanding, where participants share their stories and support each other. Loss by Suicide groups are available through our Tuesday monthly Support and Share Nights and Closed Groups offered in the spring and fall. Our trained volunteer facilitators who have grieved a death by suicide years ago, have been where you are now.