Child Loss
Survival
A group for parents who have lost a child to death.
*When someone you love becomes a memory, the
memory becomes a treasure*
Child Loss and Survival
Group Leader– Masters level therapist who specializes in grief
counseling.
Membership-5-8 people who have experienced the loss of a
child.
Screening– The therapist will have an individual interview with
the potential member to assure that they will benefit from the
group.
Time, Place and Frequency– The group will consist of 6
sessions. The sessions will be one hour in length and they will
be held every Thursday night consecutively for 6 weeks.
Purpose of Group– The group will focus on individuals who
have lost a child and who are seeking help in dealing with the
loss and surviving after the loss.
Goals-(1) Provide tools and information that will be helpful in
dealing with the loss of a child. (2) To help with steps of
surviving after the loss of a child. (3) Provide support and
encouragement to the members so that they can learn to deal
with this loss throughout life.
Evaluation-The therapist will request the members start a
journal at the beginning of the group and they will reflect on
their thoughts at the end. There will be a comparison of the two.
Group Rules– The point of this group is a very fragile subject so
respect is the most important thing. A persons confidentially is
also very important so it is very important that we understand
that this is every persons right.
Session 1
The group leader will start the group by introducing herself and
giving a description of the group. The group leader will describe
the meaning of grief which is a natural response to death and
loss and explain how the sessions will further discuss this topic.
The group leader will then ask each member to get a notebook
and pen off that she provided off of the table.
Icebreaker-Introduction
The group leader will ask each member to put their name on the
first page of the notebook and on the second page take a few
minutes to write how they are feeling at this time. After the
members get done the group leader will ask the members to read
their feelings only if they are comfortable. The leader will start
by telling the group the way she is feeling first. (30 minutes)
Icebreaker-Your story
The group leader will have the members introduce themselves
and give the reason that they have chosen to attend this group.
They will also be asked to give one interesting fact that the
group should know about them. This will help in the group
getting to know the other members in the group and possibly
getting a sense of the common things that they may be
experiencing.(20 minutes)
Wrap-Up and closing-The group leader will explain to the
members that they will keep a journal for the group sessions and
that they will make entries in these journals daily in the sessions.
The leader will also inform the group that they may make an
entry of their feelings at any time they feel like it. The session
will end with the group leader summarizing up the session and
telling the members to write their feelings about how they feel
after the session on the back of the page that they had written
their feelings at the start of the session.
Journals-Session 1
The members were each presented with a notebook
to keep journal entries in. The group leader will ask
the members to write in their journal at the
beginning of each session and then the leader will
ask them to make an entry after they leave the
session on the way they are feeling. The journal will
act as a tool for the members to see what effect the
sessions of the group are making on them. It will
also act as a way for the members to express some of
their feelings through writing. The group leader will
have the members discuss the change in feelings
from beginning to end at the end of the six sessions
and this will act as an evaluation for the members.
Session 2
The group leader will welcome the members back to the group.
The leader will ask the members to make a journal entry on what
they are feeling at this time. The group leader will encourage
members to ask any questions that they may have during this
opening up time. (20 minutes)
This session in group the group leader will pass out a
handout sheet that describes the 5 stages of grief as described by
Kubler-Ross. The group will go over the handout and discuss the
first and second stage as described in the handout which include
denial and anger. The group leader will discuss these two stages
and encourage any feedback from the members. The group
leader will give the members a chance to discuss how they
handled these two phases if they have made it past these phases
yet and if they feel comfortable doing so. (25 minutes)
