Benefits of grief support for young people
If children fail to process the thoughts and feelings associated with loss and grief, they cannot move through the healing process. Keeping the feelings inside and pushing away the thoughts may result in interpersonal, physical, emotional, learning, and spiritual problems in the present and/or lead to later difficulties in life.
The Dragonfly Program offers a variety of services and resources to help grieving children and the adults who care for them. Our program is designed to bring awareness that grief is a family process and that a loss impacts the entire family system.
The Dragonfly Program offers a specially designed support group for children and adults
Our experienced grief facilitators and volunteers are available to help youth over a limited period of time. The centerpiece of our program is a seven-week support group series for children aged 6-12, and their parents/guardians, who have experienced loss from the death of a significant loved one.
Our thoughtfully designed curriculum addresses grief, loss and hope by combining outlets to talk about the loss and hands-on activities and games.
Goals for each week's session include:
- Telling one's story
- Exploring death
- Identifying changes
- Memories/Remembering
- Identifying, expressing and coping with feelings
- Exploring unfinished business; self-care and support
- Learning to say good-bye
Other Support Services
In addition to the seven-week program, support services include:
- One-on-one sessions with bereaved child(ren) and family members to discuss individual support needs.
- Access to resource materials such as educational literature, brochures, helpful books to read together, etc., as well as information about other community resources for both adults and youth.
- A facilitated Treasure Box craft activity that helps children express their grief and memorialize their loved one by creating a memory box. This activity can be individualized for a particular child/family or can be done in a group setting.
Information for Teachers and Educators
We also offer support services to schools, including teacher in-service programs and educational presentations about children and grief. In addition, our seven-week support group can be tailored to meet the needs of a class or group impacted by a death loss. Please call for details.
Contact us year-round
If you know of an elementary-school-aged child who would benefit from grief support, please contact us at 303-425-8000.
Disclaimer: The Dragonfly Program and its associated activities provide bereavement support, not psychotherapy or counseling.
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