At the last one, there were 2 people who came who were (separately) experiencing acute grief from recent bereavements.  Luckily, their table were largely able to hold the space and both of them felt very supported, I later heard - lifechangingly so, they said.  

I checked in with all 6 people after the event, by email (as I picked up that it had been intense)  and three of the others on the table had found it an extraordinarily beneficial evening.  One, however, had struggled and went home worrying about the two.  I've been in touch with her and we are still in conversation. 

I now have just recieved an email from someone who has heeded my advice - always sent out with confirmation of a place, to get in touch with me if they are expreriencing acute grief from a recent bereavement.  

  This woman's dad died suddenly, only 2 months ago.  He was an alcoholic and they had a difficult relationship.  The daughter wasn't told he was ill, but he died 3 weeks after being taken into critical care.

I'm just not sure how to reply to the email, as every person in deep grief will be different at the Death Cafe.  

I've so far started an email which includes this:  I’m not a professional grief counsellor at all, but what I can talk about is my experience of the very rare occasions when someone in the depths of acute grief has come to the Death Cafe.  What has tended to happen is one of a few things:

Every effort is made to ensure it is a safe space, but it is essentially our community coming together in random groups to talk and to listen.  

There are no staff and no professionals there in their work capacity.

Every group will be different, and, if you come more than once, your experiences will vary.

Any thoughts, anyone?  Do you say yes to everyone, even those in the depths of grief?  

What's your experience when such a person is at your Death Cafe? 

Thank you for reading all this long piece, Debbie