Kids and Grief Bereavement Group

A Bereavement Support Group for Children ages six to twelve is being held on Wednesdays, beginning September 26, from 4:00-5:30p.m. at the Immaculate Conception Church, 600 Pleasant St. in Malden. Hallmark Health Visiting Nurse Association and Hospice is sponsoring this Kids & Grief Support Group, which will take place on September 26, October 10 & 24, November 7 & 28, and December 12. Parents and caregivers are invited to attend an adult support group meeting at the same time.

During group sessions, children engage in creative, age-appropriate ways to explore and express their feelings, such as art therapy, pet therapy, and expressive movement. The group helps children build self-esteem, reduce anxiety about showing feelings of grief, teaches skills to lessen the sense of loneliness, introduces healthy coping skills, increases children's understanding about death, and increases friendships with children who share a common experience. For parents and caregivers, the group assists them in dealing with their own grief and helps them learn how to respond to their child's grief.

Registration is required to attend and can be made by calling Judy Seifert, Bereavement coordinator at Hallmark Health Visiting Nurse Association and Hospice, at (781) 338-7861.