Loss and age-specific therapeutic peer-support groups
A Message from Our Children
Peer Support Groups
All peer support groups are child and family-centered. Trained Facilitators & Mentors provide support for participants. Each group accepts a maximum of 15 children and 15 teens.
Peer Support Group Structure
Dinner Time: Groups start with a healthy potluck dinner while they have the opportunity to get acquainted with one another and strengthen relationships with each other. After dinner, children, teens, and adults gather in their separate groups.
Circle Time: Groups begin with a sharing circle. No one is forced to talk if they do not feel comfortable doing so. We have an “I Pass” rule.
Play Time: After Opening Circle, children and teens can choose what they want to do from various activities. Activities include basketball to arts & crafts, dramatic plans, games, and more. Sometimes children prefer to go to the “Toy Room” to play. We learn a lot about what children are experiencing by watching them play. We also have a “Volcano Room” filled with large plush stuffed animals and a six-foot-tall wrestling dummy.
Mentoring Activities
Community-based mentoring activities are essential for building and strengthening grieving families’ connections to other families and their communities. Activities include our signature weekend activities called “Poi for the Soul,” “Surf for the Soul,” and “Seeds of Love.”
Other activities are organized in collaboration with various groups to engage children and family members in activities that promote positive values, increase skills and widen their support network. All activities are free, teach children about healthy eating, help children with physical fitness, and include anti-drug and alcohol messages.
“We can’t prevent domestic violence, victimization of children, and loss of family members. But, we can provide resources that help children cope with those difficult situations.” – Cynthia White, Co-Founder & Executive Director