Grieving can be a lonely experience. The pain may feel intense and overwhelming at times. Being with others who are grieving can reassure you that what you're feeling is normal and OK. Bereavement camps, seminars and retreats offer opportunities for you to connect with people who understand and help you move forward in your grief journey.
Bereavement camps, seminars and retreats provide a safe place to grieve for adults, teens and children. You can tell your story and express your feelings if you want, as well as come away with tools and resources to help you face the world. You may also make long-lasting friendships with people who understand what you're going through.
Grief professionals and trained volunteers run the camps, providing grief education and emotional support after loss. Because grants and donations often support the camps, they may be available at little or no cost to families. Camps for adults and children are often conducted separately, but each provides a safe place for surviving family members to both express and take a break from their grief.
Camps for children and teens
Children and teens grieve differently from adults. At an age when these kids are trying to fit in with their peers, their grief may make them feel alone and different. Bereavement camps, also called grief camps, give children and teens a way to cope with their pain and a place where they can talk openly and connect with other children who suffered a loss. They learn healthy ways to grieve and honor their deceased loved one.
Depending on the program, a weekend camp may include grief sessions that encourage children to share their experiences and their memories in age-appropriate ways. Although the sessions can be intense, they're mixed with physical activities and social events, which can help relieve some of the powerful emotions. Games, swimming, hiking and sports can also be outlets for some of the stress these children often experience.
Programs offering camps for children and teens include:
- Good Grief Camps — A program of the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, these camps are offered at different locations throughout the United States.
- Comfort Zone Camp — This nonprofit program has camps nationwide.
- Camp Erin — The nonprofit Moyer Foundation created this bereavement camp for children grieving a significant loss.
- Project Common Bond — A program of Tuesday's Children, the project provides camps and retreats for teens who lost a family member because of an act of terrorism.
Programs for adults
Like children and teens, adults may find comfort in sharing their experiences with people who can truly understand what they're feeling. Retreats and seminars specifically for adults focus on connecting people who've lost loved ones and teaching them skills that may help them cope with their sadness. The programs often have a different meaning for each participant, depending on where the participant is in his or her own personal grief journey.
The Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors provides adult seminars and retreats along with Good Grief Camps for children and teens. The adult programs use different methods for reaching out to those who are grieving.
An internet search may help you find other nonprofit organizations in your area that sponsor free retreats, camps, seminars and other programs for surviving family members grieving the loss of a loved one.
Remember, it's important to reach out for help if you need it. Military OneSource consultants are available all day, every day by phone at 800-342-9647 or by email. You may also benefit from Military OneSource's confidential, non-medical counseling service, available face to face, online, through video chat or by phone.