Grief Group helps kids mourning death of loved one; new session starts Monday

Cameron's Kids Grief Group, which is usually held in Wake Forest, will launch on Monday. The program will run from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., Mondays, through Nov. 19, at the Waste Industries office, 3301 Benson Dr., Raleigh. It's designed for kids ages 6 to 12.

During the program, kids have a simple dinner, introduce themselves, talk about who died and then get involved in various activities that typically involve ways to remember their family member or friend.

"It's a lot of arts and crafts," said Zahnow, "but it's also when the facilitator can sit down beside the kids and that's when they'll share their deeper thoughts. While they're doing arts and crafts, they'll talk a little bit more."

Zahnow said the group experience can be therapeutic for kids, especially those who think they're alone among their peers as they grieve.

"It does normalize, especially in the case of a suicide," she said.

In one group, two young boys who both were mourning the death of a loved one by suicide realized they weren't alone.

"They thought they were the only ones," she said.

But the group can be helpful for kids regardless of how the loved one died.

"Kids kind of need it more to get them on the right track," she said. "So they can manage school and everything that goes with it."

Registration is required as space is limited and so the program's organizers can ensure there are enough supplies for all.

To register, email info@theshoregriefcenter.org or call 919-368-6286.

A grant from Heartland Hospice is supporting the grief group in Raleigh.