Agency: Our TreeHouse

Family Night is a bi-monthly gathering for grieving families to hurt and to heal together.
Family Night begins with a shared pizza dinner at 6:00 PM. This is a time to catch up with friends and settle in for the evening.
The children are divided into groups according to age. While it is mandatory for each child’s guardian to stay on site during the program, it is not mandatory for them to attend the adult support group. Adults who do attend the support group often appreciate the opportunity to express their own grief and gain skills to support their grieving child.
At 6:30, our adult and children’s groups begin with an “opening circle,” a time to check in and, if desired, to talk about the person who died. After opening circle, the children have about 45 minutes of structured free time. We know that children express themselves through play, so we have various “play stations” for children to visit, depending on how they are feeling that night. Each room is designed for various ways children express grief. When children want to express themselves physically, they visit the Big Energy room, where they can pound on the punching bag. When children want to share a story, they can visit the Puppet Theater. When children want to read, write or have quiet time, they visit the Tranquility room. After free time, we go back our rooms for a short closing circle.
After closing circle, everyone gathers for a short goodbye ritual at 8:00.

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Contact Person and Title: Colleen Haggerty, Executive Director

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Family Night: Bereavement Support

Family Night: Bereavement Support

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