Children and teens grieve deeply but often express themselves in ways that are not easily understood by adults or by themselves.  FOOTSTEPS is a program of counseling and support for grieving children/teens and their parents or caregivers.  It is open to anyone in the community.

Children ages 7-18 meet in age-appropriate groups once a week for six weeks.  Creative art exercises, story telling, and many other activities offer opportunities for the children to identify and share their feelings.  In another room, parents or other caregivers meet for the same activities.  At the end of each meeting, adults and children have similar experiences to share.  This serves as a basis for meaningful communication and support of one another.

FOOTSTEPS helps parents to understand how their children grieve and how they can help them to recognize and voice their feelings.    Both children and adults benefit from the support of the professional counselor/group leader and from group members who have experienced similar loss.

Highlights of the six-week series:

• Age-appropriate counseling and a variety of expressive arts activities
• The adult group offers strategies for parents to assist their children as they deal with grief.
• An atmosphere of trust , safety, and acceptance is created so that adults and children can do the work of mourning
• Healthy coping strategies are defined
• Professional, experienced facilitators work with the children and adults
• A licensed mental health professional oversees the program

Please check the Footsteps group schedule, then call (925) 887-5681 to register. Suggested donation is $100 for the 6-week program.  However, no one is turned away because they cannot pay.