Erin’s House Programming Updates
Get updates and stories like this by subscribing to our emails! CLICK HERE
Since Erin’s House for Grieving Children opened in June
of 1993, we have been offering ongoing peer support programming for families twice a month. In recent years, on average, family attendance showed only eight programs per year were utilized.
After 2020 and switching to virtual groups, Erin’s House reevaluated its programming with the goal of creating a more intentional experience with increased consistency and improved attendance.
Our previous group dynamics, though impactful, caused stagnation within the groups. Kids were having to repeat their stories and reintroduce themselves to the group each time, which wasn’t beneficial to their healing process. Additionally, since COVID, consistency became harder to re-establish and the program groups were losing their bond and connection. Starting January 2023, our 10-week program, Healing Journey, addressed this by ensuring all children start and finish together, fostering strong connections as the outcome. Each week builds upon the last, allowing for a deeper exploration of the effects of grief.
Each evening program ends with a “closing circle”, and now, each Healing Journey concludes with a Bubble Release and a message for their person. Families depart Erin’s House with their newly acquired skills, feeling more confident and empowered in their grief journeys. Having had the opportunity to express fear, sadness, anger, or to simply play and forget their worries, children, and teens experience a consistent and impactful change in their lives through Erin’s House.
When continued grief support is needed, families have the option to register for Connecting Hope, our supplemental 4-week program as well as three camps offered throughout the year.
"The biggest change I’ve seen is consistency. Families have better rapport, better attendance, plus the kids in group remember each other’s names which is so impactful.”
- SARAH MUSIC, VOLUNTEER SINCE JANUARY 2019
Commenti