Group to try to help grieving
children
By Emily Baldauf
Senior
Writer
A new organization in Lafayette will be providing
support for area children who are grieving the loss of a loved one.
The newly created organization called The Harbor
will begin sponsoring support group meetings next month for those ages
5 to 18 who have recently lost a parent, caregiver or sibling.
"Our main goal is to help as many grieving
children and their families as possible," co-founder Carol Sauerhoff
said.
Sauerhoff, who holds a Master's of Science in health
planning and who has worked with similar programs in the past, believes
Lafayette needs this type of program. She said starting the program
interested her because she saw a need in the community and because she
knows firsthand how difficult losing a loved one can be when you are
a child. After losing a parent at the young age of 5, she has experienced
many of the same emotions that trouble grieving children.
"I came from a family who said, ‘Chin-up
and move on with life,’ but even at 5 I knew that for me there
was more of a loss," Sauerhoff said.
Sauerhoff teamed up with co-founder Heather L.
Servaty, who is a counseling psychologist as well as a Purdue professor.
After doing some research and talking to school
guidance counselors and local psychologists, Servaty was also convinced
there was a need for the program in the Lafayette area.
"Groups are really important when talking
about grief because so much of the time, grief is an isolating experiences,"
Servaty said.
She went on to point out that grief is especially
hard for families to deal with because no one person’s grief is
like anyone else’s.
"People think, ‘We’ve lost the same
person why aren’t we grieving the same?'" Servaty said. "They
need to understand they haven’t lost the same relationship."
Both founders hope the program’s combination
of separate peer support sessions as well as family time will help families
work through these difficult times together.
"If the family can communicate together perhaps
they can come up with a strategy and gradually move on with their lives,"
Sauerhoff said.
The groups will meet every other Thursday beginning
Feb. 7 until March 2. The meetings will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
in the Education Building of Central Presbyterian Church in Lafayette.
Each of the sessions will begin with a meal. There is no charge for
the meal or the peer support group sessions.
The Harbor is also seeking volunteers and organizations
to provide referral sources for families, greeters, meals, servers,
clean-up crews, arts and crafts materials, supplies and floor pillows.
Those who would like to learn more about joining
the support groups or volunteering with The Harbor can contact Carol
Sauerhoff at 742-5679.
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