We are passionate about helping grieving children throughout the Acadiana community to get the support they need and deserve. We offer a number of unique resources to reach out to the community – as well as education and training for various professionals who want to learn how to properly comfort, support and respond to grieving children in their worlds.
TRAGEDY RESPONSE TEAM
Our team of Healing House clinicians and specialized volunteers is available to provide offsite support groups for children following a shared loss among a school, team, organization or church. Our team will hold a support group on-site to help kids to process the loss, talk about their feelings and begin coping with the death of someone special. An on-site caregiver support group is also available.
To request services from the Tragedy Response Team, please contact our office.
COPING KIT
The Coping Kit is a special grief care package designed for children and teens who have experienced a recent loss. It contains a journal, “feelings doll”, grief coloring book, and other self-care items. Also included are resource materials for their caregivers.
Please contact our office to pick up a free Coping Kit for a grieving child in your life.
TRAINING
We provide grief education and training to a variety of professionals in the community, including social services workers, medical personnel, teachers/educators and people involved in faith-based organizations. Our team shares information on how to respond to grieving children – support them – and what to expect when companioning those who have suffered the loss of a significant person in their lives.
To request grief training services, please contact our office.
Recommended Reading
Children and Grief: When a Parent Dies by J. William Worden
Companioning the Bereaved: A Soulful Guide for Counselors & Caregivers by Alan D. Wolfelt
Grief as a Family Process: A Developmental Approach to Clinical Practice by Ester R. Shapiro
The Grieving Teen by Helen Fitzgerald
Guiding Your Child Through Grief by James P. Emswiler & Mary Ann Emswiler
Healing Your Grieving Heart By Alan D. Wolfelt
Healing Child’s Grieving Heart by Alan D. Wolfelt
Understanding Your Grief: Ten Essential Touchstones for Finding Hope and Healing Your Heart by Alan Wolfelt
Aarvy Aardvark Finds Hope by D. O’Toole
Don’t Despair on Thursdays!: The Children’s Grief-Management Book (The Emotional Impact Series) by Adolph Moser
The Fall of Freddie the Leaf by Leo Buscaglia
The Healing Tree by K. Hemery
Healing Your Grieving Heart: For Kids by Alan D. Wolfelt
How I Feel: A Coloring Book for Grieving Children by Alan D. Wolfelt
Lifetimes: A Beautiful Way to Explain Death to Children by Bryan Mellonie
Sad Isn’t Bad: A Good-Grief Guidebook for Kids Dealing With Loss (Elf-Help Books for Kids) by Michaelene Mundy
Someone Special Died by Prestine
Tear Soup by Pat Scheibert & Chuck DeKlyen
Tough Boris by M. Fox
When Dinosaurs Die: A Guide to Understanding Death by Laurie Krasny Brown
When Someone Dies by Sharon Greenlee
Where Do People Go When They Die? by Portnoy
Fire in My Heart, Ice in My Veins: A Journal for Teenagers Experiencing a Loss by Enid Samuel Traisman, MSW
You Are Not Alone: Teens Talk about Life After the Loss of a Parent by Lynne B. Hughes
Healing Your Grieving Heart: For Teens: by Alan D. Wolfelt
The Secret Garden by Molleson
Someone I Love Died by Suicide by Cammarata
Straight Talks About Death for Teenagers: How to Cope with Losing Someone You Love by Earl A. Grollman
The Last Dance by C.A. Deedy
Tiger Eyes by J. Blume
With You and Without You by A.M. Martin
Healing House provides a free Resource Library to the community consisting of various books and brochures specialized in grief and loss subjects. Topics include coping with the death of a parent, sibling, spouse, friend or co-worker. Also included in the Resource Library are books regarding sudden or violent death, suicide, anticipatory loss, and self-care.
Materials may be checked out at the Healing House free of charge.
Examples of Titles Available:
A Guide to Understanding Guilt During Bereavement
by: Robert Baugher
The Grieving Child- A Parent’s Guide
by: Helen Fitzgerald
Healing Your Grieving Heart- 100 Practical Ideas
by: Alan Wolfelt
Helping Children Cope with Death
by: The Dougy Center
Living When a Loved One Has Died
by: Earl Grollman
Living With Grief; Children, Adolescents & Loss
by: Kenneth Doka
35 Ways to Help a Grieving Child
by: The Dougy Center
What on Earth Do You Do When Someone Dies?
by: Trevor Romain
When Someone Very Special Dies
by: Marge Heegaard
When Your Child Loses a Loved One
by: Theresa Huntley
Many other books and brochures are available. The public is welcome to check out materials free of charge.
Additional titles will be added each quarter based on a continuing grant provided by Delhomme Funeral Home.
