SUPPORT FORGRIEVING FAMILIES
“I am a Therapeutic Grief Specialist for Star Bear and Star Bound Family Camps, so I see firsthand, every day, the huge impact the loss of a loved one can have on a child and on other family members. Grief can be very isolating. People often feel like no one understands how they feel. They bottle it up, put on a brave face and try to deal with it on their own. Children and parents do this even within a close knit family. They don’t know how to deal with their own grief let alone anyone else’s. Grief can rip a previously close family apart. That’s why the camps are so beneficial. Children, and now parents with our Star Bound Family Camps, can come along and discover for the first time that they are not alone. There are other people who understand how they feel and are going through similar situations. They feel they can finally talk about what is happening to them. It is a safe environment for people to be themselves and to allow themselves to grieve. Children come to understand that grief is a normal part of life. We help them to learn how to cope with their grief. Parents learn to deal with their own grief and, importantly, how to help their children as well. Everyone experiences grief differently. There is no right way to grieve. We don’t tell people how to grieve, but we help them to develop tools to deal with their grief – to acknowledge it, share it and know how to move ahead in their lives knowing it will always be a part of them. Star Bear and Star Bound Family Camps make a significant, positive difference in the lives of children and families. Please help us to continue this much-needed service.” - AnglicareSA staff member, Jacob
The Supporter Spring 2018 — 11
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