Calm Waters
Incarcerated Oklahomans
Grief Support
Serving detained men and women experiencing grief
since January 2023, Calm Waters provides FREE grief support groups to individuals at the Oklahoma County Detention Center. Residents are invited to register for the grief support group, which is divided by gender and held one hour each week for a nine-week series.
Serving Residents Experiencing Grief
Calm Waters offers a grief-support program to effectively and responsibly serve incarcerated Oklahomans struggling with their mental health. Residents of OCDC face many variations of grief. Many are grieving a death, child separation, relationship loss, or general grief regarding their loss of freedom. Residents will receive support and assistance to cope with loss of the life they led before their incarceration, or perhaps, help with coming to terms with the circumstances that brought them to OCDC.
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With the help from TEEM, Calm Waters recruited a male and a female contract facilitator for the groups. Calm Waters required experience with incarceration of those hired. The leaders' familiarity with the emotions and hardships residents face in the detention center helps establish a sense of trust and emotional safety. All facilitators complete Calm Waters grief training and lead the groups following custom-made Calm Waters curriculum.
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Calm Waters will also provide free grief workshops at the detention center, providing vital information about coping skills, healing from loss, and living with grief. These groups will include larger groups of residents, ensuring as many individuals as possible are served.
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Participants register for groups through jail program staff.