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8 Week Family Support
Groups The Support Groups for children, teens, and the adults in their lives, meet once a week for eight weeks & last for one and a half hours. We hope you will join the other kids and their families who are grieving the death of someone significant. No two sets of group sessions are identical. Each set is custom made to fit the struggles at hand in a way that works best for the families involved. Following is an example of an agenda. The activities listed are some of those most used. Some are more fitting for teens while others are best used with younger children. During family centered nights, activities will be planned and completed together, as a family. WEEK 1: GETTING ACQUAINTED WEEK 2: CHANGE WEEK 3: GRIEF RITUALS WEEK 4: FEELINGS WEEK 5: CARING CIRCLE WEEK 6: PRESERVATION OF MEMORIES WEEK 7: LEGACY WEEK 8: SEE YOU LATER Alternate foci include grief process, hope, friends, school, fears, guilt, anger, “afterlife”, holidays, nightmares, wishes, parenting, communication skills, “leftovers”. Activities or tools that may be used
include, but are
If we will not be able to attend all the sessions, can we still join? To get the most benefit, consistent attendance is crucial. Missing persons are another loss experience for the remaining members. A sense of safety through trust and comfort is extremely vital for movement through the grieving process. Is an adult required to attend with the children and teens? We strongly encourage involvement of at least one parent/guardian. If an adult is not comfortable attending the sessions, he/she should still remain in the building. What happens if I feel uncomfortable with certain topics or activities? All members will experience anxiety, fear or nervousness at one point or another. Members determine their own degree of involvement. The more you put into the process, the more you will receive in return. Some areas of discussion will trigger a more emotional, sensitive reaction. This is normal and part of the journey. The group will support you in the way that seems to work best for you. What are “family centered” nights? Children and teens are a part of a family group. To improve open communication, consistency, and appreciation, it is most beneficial to support the entire family. On family nights, the entire group joins together, and while staying in the same room, divides, not by age, but by family. The focus most often identified for these nights are feelings, coping strategies, and memories. What do we need to bring? Nothing except a desire to heal. Will there be food available? A dinner meal of pizza and drink will be served each week at no charge. The meal will be available from 6:00 to 6:25 P.M. only. Drink will be available for adults throughout the session. Donations to cover the meal expenses are accepted. What does it cost to attend the support group sessions? There is no cost to attend the support group sessions. The programs are mostly paid for through donations by individuals. Any family who can make a financial contribution is encouraged to do so. All contributions are gratefully accepted. For further information please contact us. |
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