Our Services
Kid's Grief
We can help when kids of any age grieve.
Kids
of any age, like adults, grieve in different ways. It's
sometimes difficult to read the signs, and it's sometimes
easy to pretend that kids experiencing grief will
just bounce back.
That may be true. Some kids do bounce back. But very often they don't. Like adults, they could sometimes use a little help.
Colleen Ballinger, one of our grief specialists, says that through no fault of their own, adults aren't always able to help.
"Some adults are struggling with their own grief, making it difficult for them to cope with the grief of someone else. Others feel uncertain about what is the right thing to do . . . and this is especially so when kids are involved.
"That's where we come in. If you have a child or teenager who is grieving, or if you know of one who is grieving, we can help. You don't need to go it alone."
About Our Support Groups
Our support groups offer kids who have suffered the loss of a loved one, an opportunity to get both the skilled help and peer support they may need. They are run by trained facilitators. Groups are free of charge, though donations are always welcome.
- Kids get the opportunity to participate in "talking circle" time, and are able to express their feelings in art, music and a variety of other ways.
- Spending this time with their peers helps kids understand that they're not "different" from other children, that other children experience grief in their families, too.
Support for Teens
Teens have unique needs. Click here for information that may be helpful for teens who are grieving: Help for Teens in Grief
Support for Children
Children have unique needs of their own. Click here for information that may be helpful for children who are grieving: Help for Children in Grief
Support for Adults
We also offer support for adults who may be grieving the loss of a loved one, regardless of whether or not they have children. Learn more: Help for Grieving Adults.
Grief Support Group Schedule
Our Support Groups are run at varying times throughout the year, in locations throughout the Columbia River Gorge. For information on upcoming groups, please visit one of these pages.
For additional information or to find out about groups currently being planned, please call our office in Hood River or The Dalles: 541-387-6449 or 541-296-3228.
