Helping for Young Hearts: Benefits of our Grief Counseling for Children
In this article:
Tillery Compassionate Care of Albemarle offers many resources for those experiencing grief. This includes grief counseling for children.
While we have regular meetings for women and another for individuals who have lost a spouse, Tillery Compassionate Care also realizes local youth need assistance as well while grieving.
We Serve As a Primary Source of Grief Counseling for Children
Tillery Compassionate Care may often be a child’s first counseling source, coinciding with one’s first experience with a loss of life. It often gives a child room to express their emotions and how to cope in a world without their loved one.
According to the Childhood Bereavement Education Model (CBEM) from Judi’s House/JAG Institute, in partnership with the New York Life Foundation, an estimated 6.4 million children in the U.S. will experience the death of a sibling or parent by age 18.
North Carolina ranks 15th out of the 50 states on the CBEM, with an estimated 1 in 10 children falling into that category.
In the CBEM, the No. 1 cause for the death of a sibling was a condition related to birth, while the cause of death for a parent was most likely an accident.
The CBEM links children who do not receive grief counseling to higher rates of suicide, an adverse impact on learning and substance use disorder in adulthood.
Counselors and staff at Tillery Compassionate Care in Albemarle are trained to carefully interact with a child and console them in this deeply emotional state of transition.
Camp Forget-Me-Knot Provides Solace and Counseling
Tillery Compassionate Care has an event each May at Camp Joshua in Albemarle called Camp Forget-Me-Not. Kids can enjoy horseback riding, fishing, crafts, a butterfly release and other activities while also receiving care and counseling as they move forward following the loss of a parent, grandparent or other loved one.
“Camp Forget-Me-Not is a free day camp to support all those children and their families impacted by a death-related loss. This camp provides a safe space for the child and their family to share the story of their loved ones, honor their memory, and provide a feeling that they are not so alone in this thing called grief,” said Bereavement Coordinator Janna Spurr, MSW, LCSW. “This special day also provides education on what to expect in grief, ways to cope, and learning to walk through the grief.”
There is no charge for the camp, which is open to children ages 6-17 and their families in Stanly and Montgomery counties who have experienced a death, even if the death was not hospice-related.
Bereavement Counselors Provide Grief Counseling for the Whole Family
Bereavement counselors offer support to a family immediately upon the death of their loved one and continue to provide support for 13 months after death. This includes assisting with grief counseling for children.
Some forms of grief counseling have been known to include journaling, scrapbooking, drawing or other types of creative endeavors to honor or remember a loved one.
Other counseling may include physical activity or relaxation techniques, different ways to express one’s energy and feelings.
Call 704-983-4216 during regular business hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday or visit tillerycompassionatecare.org to learn more about how Tillery Compassionate Care can meet the needs of your young person who is grieving.
Tillery Compassionate Care is a nonprofit organization that has been providing compassionate care since 1981.
Key Takeaways:
- Tillery Compassionate Care of Albemarle provides a wide range of grief counseling resources for individuals of all ages, including children and families.
- The organization recognizes that children often experience their first loss without prior tools to cope, making early grief counseling essential.
- An estimated 1 in 10 children in North Carolina will lose a parent or sibling by age 18, according to the Childhood Bereavement Education Model.
- Unaddressed childhood grief can lead to increased risk of suicide, learning difficulties, and substance abuse later in life.
- Camp Forget-Me-Not, a free, annual day camp held each May, combines therapeutic activities with fun experiences like horseback riding and crafts to support grieving children and their families.
- Bereavement counselors at Tillery provide support from the time of death through 13 months of follow-up care, including services tailored to children.
Sources:
Judi’s House/ JAG Institute, “Childhood Bereavement Estimation Model (CBEM),” https://judishouse.org/research-tools/cbem/
