The Center For Loss And Bereavment

THE CENTER FOR LOSS AND BEREAVEMENT PROVIDES SPECIALIZED COUNSELING AND PEER SUPPORT GROUPS FOR INDIVIDUALS OF ALL AGES AND ORGANIZATIONS / BUSINESSES CONFRONTED WITH PROFOUND GRIEF. ADDITIONALLY, GRIEF AWARENESS AND PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION TRAININGS / RESOURCES ARE REGULARLY SHARED THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY.

1) INDIVIDUAL, COUPLE, AND FAMILY GRIEF COUNSELING: HELD 4252 THERAPY SESSIONS, SERVING SIX HUNDRED INDIVIDUALS, FROM YOUNG CHILDREN TO SENIORS. APPROX. 1/3 OF OUR CLIENTS ARE INDIVIDUAL BEREAVED ADULTS, 1/3 ARE BEREAVED YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS, AND 1/3 ARE CAREGIVERS/PARENTS WHO ATTEND FAMILY THERAPY WITH BEREAVED YOUTH. WHILE FEES ARE CHARGED FOR THIS PROFESSIONAL, SPECIALIZED COUNSELING SERVICE, WE REDUCE FEES ON A SLIDING SCALE FOR MANY PARTICIPANTS. IN THIS FISCAL YEAR, WE SUPPLEMENTED $80,260 ON OUR STANDARD FEE-FOR-SERVICE COSTS, WHICH ARE ALSO BELOW MARKET RATE.IN OUR SPECIALIZED ADULT GRIEF SUPPORT GROUPS, WE HELD 19 DIFFERENT GROUPS BASED ON LOSS (INCLUDING LOSS OF CHILD, LOSS OF SPOUSE/PARTNER, LOSS OF PARENT, LOSS OF SIBLING, LOSS DUE TO SUICIDE, LOSS DUE TO ADDICTION/OVERDOSE, YOUNG ADULT GRIEF. THESE GROUPS MET FOR A TOTAL OF 169 SESSIONS (APPROX 250 SERVICE HOURS), OFFERING CONNECTION AND UNDERSTANDING FOR 160 BEREAVED ADULTS. FEES FOR THESE GROUPS ARE NOMINAL PER PARTICIPANT, AND REDUCED FEE SUPPORT IS AVAILABLE IF NEEDED. OUR YOUNG ADULT GROUPS ARE CURRENTLY OFFERED AT NO FEE TO PARTICIPANTS.

CHILDREN AND FAMILY-BASED PEER GROUP SUPPORT PROGRAMMING: 1) NELLO'S CORNER PROGRAM FOR GRIEVING CHILDREN (AGES 4-LATE TEEN) PROVIDED ON-GOING SUPPORT GROUPS FOR CHILDREN, TEENS, AND THEIR PARENT/CAREGIVERS (TOTAL 129 INDIVIDUALS), THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR; EACH OF THE 14 GROUPS MET APPROXIMATELY 18 TIMES (EVERY/OTHER WEEK) OVER THE SPAN OF 9 MONTHS. PARTICIPANTS DO NOT PAY FEES; THE NELLO'S CORNER PROGRAM IS ENTIRELY DONATION-BASED.2) OUR ANNUAL SUMMER CAMP MILLIE PROGRAM FOR GRIEVING ELEMENTARY- AND MIDDLE-SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN WAS HELD THIS JUNE. OVER THE 4-DAYS OF CAMP, WE BROUGHT TOGETHER 53 YOUTH IN 5 AGE-SPECIFIC GROUPS, OFFERING CRAFTS, CIRCLE DISCUSSIONS, AND GAMES THAT FACILITATE BONDS AND HEALTHY COPING THROUGH THE SAFE EXPRESSION OF SHARED GRIEF. REGISTRATION FEES ARE NOMINAL AND SUPPORTED BY SCHOLARSHIPS TO BE SURE NO CHILD'S FINANCIAL ABILITY LIMITS PARTICIPATION IN THIS PROGRAM. 3) SCHOOL GROUPS WERE HELD IN TWO LOCAL SCHOOLS, SERVING 19 STUDENTS IN A TOTAL OF 12 PEER SUPPORT GROUP SESSIONS.

GRIEF AWARENESS AND EDUCATION: OUR COUNSELORS AND GROUP FACILITATORS HAVE SPECIALIZED TRAINING AND EDUCATION IN THANATOLOGY: THE STUDY OF DEATH, DYING AND BEREAVEMENT. PROFESSIONAL TRAININGS ARE OFFERED FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION (AS A PENNSYLVANIA APPROVED CE PROVIDER FOR LICENSED PROFESSIONAL COUNSELORS, MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPISTS, AND SOCIAL WORKERS). ADDITIONALLY, OUR TEAM PROVIDES PRESENTATIONS AND PSYCHO-EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT FOR MEMBERS OF SCHOOLS, FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, BUSINESSES, AND OTHER SOCIAL SERVICE PROVIDERS WHEN GRIEF IMPACTS ITS COMMUNITY AND/OR EMPLOYEES. WE CREATE GRIEF AWARENESS TIP SHEETS, RESOURCES, AND SHARE ARTICLES / COMMUNICATION MESSAGING IN MANY FORMS FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC AS WELL. NOMINAL FEES MAY BE COLLECTED FOR PROFESSIONAL TRAININGS OR ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT, YET MANY EDUCATIONAL SERVICES AND PRESENTATIONS ARE PROVIDED AT NO CHARGE, GIVEN THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF DONORS.