Peer Support Groups

The Solace Tree provides peer support groups for children, teens, and adults. There is no counseling or therapy, nor is there any fee for services. Children and teens meet their peers who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling, primary caretaker or friend because of a illness, heart attack, stroke, accident, suicide, military loss or homicide.

Solace Kids

Children ages 3 to 5 are grouped together every other week for sixty minutes. These children experience talking circles and then can express their thoughts and feelings through play activities.

Kids Helping Kids

Children 6 to 12 and 11 to 13 are divided by the death they experienced. These children also meet for ninety minutes every other week. They too express their thoughts and feelings in various activities.

Hearts For Teens

Teenagers 14 to 18 are in groups together. The teen group gets a chance to talk to each other and also do various activities for ninety minutes every other week.

Growing Together

All groups are facilitated by trained volunteers who are in turn coordinated by the Executive Director of the Solace Tree.

The Solace Tree refers children and teens to therapists and counselors if needed. We have a list of professional individuals who specialize in grief and loss.

The Solace Tree operates on the following principals adopted from the Dougy Center in Portland, Oregon:

• Grief is a natural reaction to the death of a loved one for children, teens, and families.
• The duration and intensity of grief are unique for each individual.
• Within each individual is the natural capacity to heal oneself.
• Caring and acceptance assist in the healing process.

How to get my child or teen started in a grief group.

• 1. A parent, guardian, or professional contacts us and a staff member will take basic information down about the family member who died. In two weeks we will get more details about the circumstances about the death of a loved one and set up a time for an orientation about The Solace Tree.
• 2. After we place your child or teen in a group we will then call you and tell you the place and time of the group meeting.
• 3. Participants can be in the program as long as they find it helpful.
• 4. Fill out a permission form.