Children’s Grieving Services

Thriving Families Grief Support Group: Building Resilience

The Thriving Families Grief Support Group promotes healing by providing an opportunity for youth to express their thoughts, verbalize their feelings, and share their experience of grief.

The Thriving Families Grief Support Group serves Orange-and Sullivan-county residents by providing an opportunity for youth to express their thoughts, verbalize their feelings, and share their experiences of grief.

This is accomplished through discussion groups centered around art, music, books, and videos. The program serves children ages 6 through 17. The Thriving Families Grief Support Group consists of two portions: a Children/Youth Portion
and an Adult Portion.

Hospice of Orange & Sullivan Counties, Inc. understands the differences in the developmental stages of children and youth, especially as they pertain to grief counseling. Special curriculums have been developed for distinct children/youth age groups to address respective developmental levels and teach coping skills.

During the Children/Youth Portion, children will be provided with structured activities with weekly themes and topics. Family involvement is important in supporting children/youth in their grief. Therefore, family involvement is highly encouraged. We do ask that only people who are registered for the program, participate in the groups.

Children/Youth-Portion groups meet 3 times on select Mondays. Each session runs for 60 minutes. Classes are currently being held virtually, and we ask that an adult be available to assist the child(ren) with starting and ending each session.

We invite parents and caretakers to participate in the Adult Portion held on select Tuesdays. This group offers a variety of opportunities to discuss with a grief counselor the previous day’s children/youth portion and issues concerning your child(ren), as well as to share your own experience of grief. We recognize that we are all different and our reactions to various types of loss may be unique. Adult discussion groups cover a variety of subjects, including the emotional and physical impact that grief and loss have on children and adults. We provide education and understanding, and we work together to overcome the challenges ahead.