Grief education programs
Families often say that learning about grief can be helpful. Supportive education programs help families normalize feelings and experiences. They offer healthy ideas for coping with grief, for self-care, and for fostering connections with others who can identify with the pain of having a child die. These programs help families understand that it is okay to ask questions and feel uncertainty. It is also okay to wonder about what a grief journey might be like as time moves forward. And, it is okay to want to better-understand aspects of grief, in an environment that fully supports this exploration.
Living with Grief: A grief education and information program for bereaved families
Throughout the grief journey families find value in coming together with other grieving families who can understand and appreciate the intense grief that comes when a child dies. The Living with Grief program has been specially designed to meet the needs of the entire grieving family. Families who have attended support and education programs like Living with Grief have shared that these groups:
· Offer them a safe setting to talk about their child and their family’s story.
· Help them to connect with other bereaved families so they can receive and give support.
· Give them reassurance that their grief is a normal reaction to their deep sense of loss.
Support groups are also beneficial to children and teens because it helps them understand that they are not alone, and that there are other kids just like them who are grieving too.
Monthly Living with Grief Program
Join us for our monthly Living with Grief program, consisting of three separate sections held concurrently to meet the needs of the whole grieving family. The discussion topic for the April session is family changes. There will also be open discussion time.
The Living with Grief program has three separate grief groups to meet the needs of the whole family. All groups are held at the same time. Family members are invited to join one of the following groups:
Parent grief group Program: for parents/guardians grieving the death of a child
Youth grief group: for children and /teens ages kindergarten through- senior year in high school who are grieving the death of any special person in their life (a parent, sibling, grandparent, cousin, friend, classmate or any other special person).
Grandparent grief group Program: for grandparents and other close adult extended family grieving the death of a grandchild or niece or /nephew.
These support The Living with Grief programs meet is held the 2nd Thursday of each month from 6 – 7:30 p.m.
Participants are encouraged to attend each month, but can choose to attend as their schedule allows.
Programs are free of charge, and open to any grieving family in the greater community. Although the group has an open format, participants are encouraged to attend regularly.
Please RSVP to Bereavement Services at [email protected] or 612-813-7216.
Free childcare is offered to children 18 months–preschool age.
Park in the Red Ramp. Parking will be validated.
For either the Parent or Youth Programs, go to the 1st floor Welcome Center to check in.
You will then be directed to the Family Resource Center or Child Life Zone where the programs meet. Grandparents coming to the grandparent grief group alone can go directly to room 1053/1054 in the Garden View Medical Building.
Event Date and Time
April 11, 2019, 6 p.m.–7:30 p.m.
Location
Children’s Minnesota St. Paul campus345 North Smith AvenueSt. Paul, MN 55102