Helping Kids (and Adults) Cope with Grief

On Friday, April 4, club members were pleased to welcome Ms. Laura Hudson, founder and Director of Hearts & Crafts Grief Counseling. Now celebrating its 20th anniversary year, H&CGC has its counseling center in Ramsey but services clients throughout Bergen and Rockland Counties.

Among the many service provided by this 501c3 non-profit organization are children’s support groups and parent/adult support groups which meet simultaneously and sometimes in joint session, individual and family counseling, Camp Grief Busters and a Holiday Gathering.

Children’s groups are led by Laura, a Board Certified Art Therapist while teens and adults most often meet with a licensed social worker. Groups are scheduled to run 8 weeks, but often continue well beyond the first series of meetings.

Utilizing a cardboard and paper scroll home drawn “movie” made by one of Laura’s recent groups, members were able to gain a greater appreciation of the value of art therapy to the lives of these children. For them, artistic expression offers a safe way of coping with the grief, anger, and anxiety they may be experiencing as a result of some family crisis or loss. Without the services of H&CGC, the emotional scars left by such loss often make everyday life much more difficult, especially for the young.

To learn more about the organization, visit their website, http://www.heartsandcraftscounseling.org