Finding healing through Virtual Support Group
Written on July 22, 2021
During a cooking accident in May 2020, Lauren Grove sustained full-thickness burns on both of her arms and legs. She was treated at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, where she first learned about Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors.
"The biggest challenge I've faced throughout the healing process is learning to forgive myself. I've harbored a lot of guilt for the actions I took on that day. I felt ashamed that I had let it happen, that it was something that could've been prevented. It took me a long time to accept that what happened was, indeed, an accident.”
Initially, she wasn’t ready to talk about what happened or receive peer support, but her mother saw her struggling and encouraged her to get involved with Phoenix Society. Since then, Lauren has been an active member in Virtual Support Group as well as a Peer Support Chat and Phoenix World Burn Congress participant.
These programs, specifically the Virtual Support Groups, have been life-changing. Being able to connect with other survivors is something I'm thankful for every day.
Those who haven't experienced a severe burn injury have a hard time understanding what it's like; they cannot relate. In turn, this makes being a burn survivor a very lonely place. Finding people that understand what it's like, both mentally and physically, has significantly improved my mental health, as I no longer feel alone in my journey.”
