Children's Grief Support

Children love art: and art can help children who are grieving. Drawing, painting and molding clay are a valuable outlet for a child who is suffering the loss of a loved one. When children experience a loss, they may not have the vocabulary to accurately express their grief. Children, however, can use art to identify, name and draw their feelings related to the loss. With other grieving children, they can commemorate and validate their own true feelings artistically and view their own healing through their art.

The Elaine Litman Endowment for Art in Bereavement has provided a foundation for continued arts in the Partners In Care children’s bereavement program. The endowment enables Partners In Care to make arts a primary mode of supporting children through their grief process. The children are encouraged to express themselves through various artistic expressions. Whether they are painting or coloring a portrait of how they see themselves, remembering those that they love or what it feels like to experience the death of someone they love, they are releasing their feelings about death and loss. They create keepsakes, such as memory boxes, to keep those things they cherished about the person who loved them.

School-based Grief Groups:

An eight-week program, one day a week for one hour, in the school setting to give grieving children or adolescents a safe place to be with others in similar grief experiences. The curriculum covers feelings, coping strategies and identifying positive support, using art, music and play. Grades kindergarten through 12th.

My Friend’s House:

An eight-week program, one day a week for ninety minutes. This program is
tailored to work with the family unit; i.e.: the grieving child, siblings, parents, grandparents, and caregivers. Adults and children meet in separate groups. Through art, music and play children focusing on feelings, coping strategies, and identifying positive support. The adult focus is on understanding the unique needs of the children and how they can help them. Additional support is provided to the adults, giving insight into understanding their own grief and providing a support network to help them through the process. Dinner is provided for the evening groups. There is no cost for these groups.

Individual Support:

Short-term individual support counseling sessions are available to families and
children who have experienced the death of a loved one. Additionally, we offer support to children and families facing the imminent death of a loved one.

Camp Courage:

A four-day, no cost, summer art camp, providing a safe and healing environment where children can share and express their feelings of loss and grief through art. Allows the children a fun and safe environment to explore, express and share their grief journey with others their age. Please see our Camp Courage page for the upcoming group schedule and registration information.

Contact Eileen for current group dates and to register at 541-382-5882.