Program Information
Often when there is a death in the family or of a close friend, adults sometime are too involved in their own personal grief to respond adequately to the needs of a child. The family unit may be thrown into emotional, psychological or financial crisis. Because children deal with powerful emotions differently than adults, their grief may go unrecognized. Their depression, fear, guilt, and anger may be acted out and labeled as behavioral problems instead of being seen for what it is, a reaction to the death of a loved one.
New Song Center provides a safe, nurturing environment where children, youth, and young adults can address their issues of grief and loss in a realistic and straightforward way. The grieving process is a very individual experience and is often dependent upon the nature of the loss, the length of the relationship with the deceased, and the quality of that relationship. Puppetry, art, dance, music, journaling and recreation are used in conjunction with guided sharing to help each individual cope with their personal issues of loss at their own pace.
Volunteers, who have had over 25 hours of classroom and 20 hours of mentor-led training, facilitate support groups and assist participating family members through their grief journey under the direction of professional staff. Family members and volunteer facilitators meet at the beginning of the evening over dinner, and then break into the smaller age-specific support groups. At the end of the evening, children and adults meet for closure before departing.
Families are not charged a fee to participate in New Song Center support groups, however a voluntary financial contribution is recommended.