Team to hold program on grieving

The Jamestown Area Grief Support Team and Touched by an Angel Ministry will present a program called “Good Grief” at 7 p.m. Monday at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Jamestown. The subject of this program is “The Grieving Child.” Any adult knowing a child who has lost a loved one should plan to attend.

People who experience the loss of a loved one mourn that loss in a variety of ways. For grieving adults, there is often help available in the form of support groups, individual counseling and caring friends who support the individual in his or her grief. Children, however, often get lost in the shuffle when they are grieving. Their friends and classmates usually don’t understand what the child is going through, and the adults in that child’s life may be unable to help because they grieving themselves. Children are also more likely to keep their feelings of grief to themselves, so those around them don’t see the pain they are experiencing.

Following the death of someone who was significant in his or her life, a child may experience feelings of anger, frustration, abandonment, hurt, sadness, loneliness, depression and confusion. The behavior, however, doesn’t necessarily express those feelings. Children may misbehave more than usual, become withdrawn, sleep excessively or not be able to sleep. There may be a change in eating habits, associations with friends and school work. Others may not necessarily link these behaviors to the loss the child has experienced and the child may not be able to understand his or her feelings.

Speakers for this special presentation will be Kerrie Soulis, school social worker, and Shirley Laber and Carol Arnold, both JAGST. Kerrie Soulis will discuss specific problems a grieving child faces at school. Laber will share the experience of her son’s grief after the death of his father, Shirley Laber’s husband. Arnold, president of the JAGST, will share her observations of dealing with grieving children at Camp Release, the JAGST’s children’s grief camp. All will offer suggestions of ways to reach out to and help children in grief.

The Jamestown Area Grief Support Team is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting those who are grieving in the community. Touched by an Angel Ministry is a grief support ministry at St. John’s Lutheran Church.

St. John’s Lutheran Church is located at 424 First Ave. S. in Jamestown and is handicapped accessible. The program is free and open to all adults. For more information, call 252-1198.

Tags: grief support, community, clubs, grief