Our Child & Family Group Programs
Our evening grief groups typically involve 5-10 individuals meeting with 1-2 professional counsellors that specialize in helping families with children and teens adjust to the changes in their lives when someone close to them is living with a life-threatening illness or has died.
All grief groups begin with all participants, counsellors, and volunteers sharing a prepared dinner together before the session commences. Every week, our counsellors will explore different grief-related topics through discussion and interactive activities.
Why Group Support
Grief is how we respond when we experience loss. Everyone experiences grief and many people associate grief with the death of someone close to them. Grief is also a common reaction when someone in their lives is diagnosed with a life-threatening illness.
Grief is complicated. There is no one way to experience grief; members of the same family can grieve differently. Connecting with other people can reduce the sense of isolation and feelings of loneliness that often come with grief. Our counsellors can help a grieving child, teen, or family navigate the emotions and overall impact associated with grief.
Accessible to All
Counselling fees are on a sliding scale based on family income and drop-in groups are free of charge.
No one is turned away due to financial difficulties as we work hard with our community partners to ensure there are no obstacles to accessing our services. If your financial circumstances change at any time, please do not hesitate to speak with your counsellor for a fee adjustment.

For Children
Supporting Children
- Canadian Alliance for Grieving Children and Youth
- Children's Grief Centre Brochure
- Child & Teen Grief after a Suicide
- How Children Grieve and Ways We Can Help
- Informing a Child of a Death
- Preparing Emotionally for Disasters or Emergencies
- Psychological First Aid After a Disaster
- Recovery after a Disaster or Emergency
- Responding to a Disaster or Emergency
- Sleep Disturbances
- Talking To Children about Life-Threatening Illness
- When Bad Things Happen
- When Grief Goes to School
- When the Holidays Hurt
- Lost for Words - Advice for Children About How to Cope with Grief
Suggested Books for Children
- Ida, Always by Caron Levis
- In My Heart: A Book of Feelings by Jo Witek
- Life is Like the Wild by Shona Innes
- Tear Soup: A Recipe for Healing After Loss by Pat Schwiebert, Chuck DeKlyen
- The Invisible String by Patricia Karst
- The Next Place by Warren Hanson
- Wherever You Are: My Love Will Find You by Nancy Tillman







For Teens
Supporting Teens
- Canadian Alliance for Grieving Children and Youth
- Children's Grief Centre Brochure
- Child & Teen Grief after a Suicide
- How Teens Grieve and Ways We Can Help
- Informing a Child of a Death
- Preparing Emotionally for Disasters or Emergencies
- Psychological First Aid After a Disaster
- Recovery after a Disaster or Emergency
- Responding to a Disaster or Emergency
- Sleep Disturbances
- Talking To Teens about Life-Threatening Illness
- When Bad Things Happen
- When Grief Goes to School
- When the Holidays Hurt
Suggested Books for Teens
- Someone I Loved Died by Suicide by Doreen T. Cammarata
- The Grieving Teen: A Guide for Teenagers and their Friends by Helen Fitzgerald
- The Invisible String by Patricia Karst
- The Next Place by Warren Hanson
- When a Friend Dies: A Book for Teens about Grieving and Healing by Marilyn Grootman
- Wherever You Are: My Love Will Find You by Nancy Tillman







For Families
- Canadian Alliance for Grieving Children and Youth
- Children's Grief Centre Brochure
- Child & Teen Grief after a Suicide
- Family Conversations about MAID
- Helping Your Child or Teen Recover from a Disaster or Emergency
- How Children Grieve and Ways We Can Help
- How Teens Grieve and Ways We Can Help
- Informing a Child of a Death
- MyGrief.ca
- Preparing Emotionally for Disasters or Emergencies
- Psychological First Aid After a Disaster
- Recovery after a Disaster or Emergency
- Responding to a Disaster or Emergency
- Should My Child Attend the Funeral?
- Sleep Disturbances
- Talking To Children about Life-Threatening Illness
- Talking to Teens about Life-Threatening Illness
- When Bad Things Happen
- When Grief Goes to School
- When the Holidays Hurt
- Video: Each member of a family grieves differently (French)
Special Event & Holidays
- Help for the Holidays
- The Year I Ran Away From Christmas
- When Bad Things Happen
- When Grief Goes to School
- When the Holidays Hurt
Suggested Books for Families
- Healing A Teen's Heart: 100 Practical Ideas For Families, Friends and Caregivers by Alan Wolfelt
- Help Me Say Goodbye: Activities for Helping Kids Cope when Someone Special Dies by Janis Silverman
- Helping Children Grieve by Theresa Huntley
- I Miss You: A First Look at Death by Pat Thomas
- Never Too Young To Know: Death in Children's Lives by Phyllis Silverman
- Waterbugs and Dragonflies: Explaining Death to Children by Doris Stickney
- When Someone Very Special Dies: Children Can Learn to Cope with Grief by Marge Eaton Heegaard
View the full bibliography







For Adults
- MyGrief.ca
- Preparing Emotionally for Disasters or Emergencies
- Psychological First Aid After a Disaster
- Recovery after a Disaster or Emergency
- Responding to a Disaster or Emergency
- Sleep Disturbances
Special Event & Holidays
- Help for the Holidays
- The Year I Ran Away From Christmas
- When Bad Things Happen
- When the Holidays Hurt
Suggested Books for Adults
- Catching Your Breath in Grief by Thomas Attig
- Healing Your Grieving Soul by Alan Wolfelt
- How We Grieve: Relearning the World by Thomas Attig
- Living a Life that Matters by Harold S. Kushner
- Option B: Finding Adversity, Building Resilience and Finding Joy by Sheryl Sandberg
- The Heart of Grief: Death and the Search for Lasting Love by Thomas Attig
View the full bibliography







For Professionals & Volunteers Working with Children, Teens and Families
- Canadian Virtual Hospice
- Children's Grief Centre Brochure
- Informing a Child of a Death
- Living with Advanced Illness Brochure
- KidsGrief.ca
- MyGrief.ca
Suggested References
- Continuing Bonds: New Understandings of Grief by Dennis Klass
- Never Too Young to Know: Death in Children's Lives by Phyllis Rolfe Silverman
- Predictors and Parameters of Resilience to Loss: Toward an Individual Differences Model by A. D. Mancini, G. A. Bonanno
- The Dual Process Model of Coping with Bereavement by M. Stroebe, H. Schut
- The Grieving Person's Bill of Rights by Alan Wolfelt
View the full grief bibliography