Children's Grief Center
LifePath Hospice's Circle of Love Center for Grieving Children is a safe, loving place where families can help each other. The center provides caring support in a safe environment where children, teens and their families grieving a significant death can share their experiences as they move through the grieving and healing process. We provide ongoing grief support groups for children, ages 3 to 18, and their parents or caregivers.
Whether the death occurred through illnesses, accident, suicide or homicide, our volunteers and staff work closely with families to create a supportive environment as they journey through their grief. We also provide consultative services in the community for those assisting grieving children.
Volunteers are at the heart of the center. After completing our extensive and inspirational facilitator training program, volunteers offer their time and compassion to assist in facilitating our groups for children, teens and adults.
The Death of a Loved One
Illness and death are a part of life, and so is the grief process that allows one to move toward hope, healing and renewal. For families who have lost a loved one, the road to recovery can be filled with pain and fear.
Children deal with grief in a unique way, and their path toward healing is different from that of adults. Who can they talk to? Their friends often shy away because they don't know what to say. Children often find it hard to talk to the surviving parent, who is dealing with his/her own grief while trying to understand the needs of the grieving child.
How do children and families cope with the death of a loved one? In the Tampa Bay area, they can come to LifePath Hospice's Circle of Love Center for Grieving Children, a safe, loving place where families help each other.
Supporting Children and Families as They Grieve
Modeled after The Dougy Center (National Center for Grieving Children), The Circle of Love Center for Grieving Children provides caring support in a safe environment where children, teens and their families grieving a significant death can share their experiences as they move through the grieving and healing process. We believe:
- Grief is a natural reaction to death for children, as well as adults.
- Within each individual is the natural capacity to heal.
- The duration and intensity of grief are unique for each individual.
- Caring, acceptance and peer support assist in the healing process.
