IPeer Support Groups
Support Groups: All families must complete an orientation before attending group. Please see our "Staff" contact page in order to schedule one.
Peer Suppor t Groups are for children ages 3-18 and their parents/caregivers who are grieving the death of a parent/caregiver or sibling. Childcare is provided for children ages 0-2.
Due to limited financial resources, at this time MargaretAnn's Place is unable to offer Peer Support/Education Groups for children who are grieving the death of a grandparent, aunt/uncle, friend or other loved one. Please call for free literature and other resources.
We are pleased to offer peer support groups in Milwaukee, Racine, and Kenosha Counties, and this fall will be mark the beginning of a site in Waukesha County as well.
ALL GROUPS MEET FROM 5:45-7:30 p.m.
Milwaukee Group - 5880 S. Howell Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53207 - Family Life Center
1st & 3rd Mondays of every month
Waukesha Group - 1755 N Calhoun Rd, Brookfield, WI 53005 -Activity Center at St. John Vianney
Waukesha County Expansion successful in part through:
Kenosha Group- 2522 63rd St, Kenosha, WI 53143
1st Thursday of the Month
Racine Group - 1700 S Green Bay Rd, Racine, WI 53406 - Mt. Pleasant Lutheran Church
3rd Thursday of the Month
Racine programming is sustained in part through a grant from:
To respect the privacy and cofidentiality of our participants guests/visitors are unable to attend.
A TYPICAL EVENING
5:45-6:30 Free pizza meal provided for families
6:30-6:35 Opening Circle in Group: Every person gives his/her name, age/grade and the name of the person who died in the family. Facilitators indicate what age group they will be facilitating.
6:35-7:55 Peer Support/Education Groups Begin: Children are divided into age appropriate groups and adults are divided into groups by type of death(spouse, child, or if you are acaregiver of a grieving child)
Children's Groups Format:A beginning sharing circle, an activity/project and free play.
7:50 -8:00Start to bring closure for group - Children go back in sharing circle, share their activity, quiet closing
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What Will Children Get From MargaretAnn's Place?
A Safe Place
Children in grief need a place they can go where it^s OK to be themselves. At MargaretAnn^s Place they can laugh or cry, play or vent anger - without feeling pressure to "get over it."
Safe People
Trained, caring group facilitators serve as companions as kids walk through their grief. The volunteers of MargaretAnn^s Place are there to guide and nurture, not to teach, direct or "fix" people.
Understanding Peers
One of the benefits of a grief center for children is the regular association with other children who have experienced a loss. Children helping children is a key element of MargaretAnn^s Place.
Opportunities to Play
Grieving adults aren^t always easy for children to be around. Children are more prone to play than to express their pain or sadness for long periods of time. MargaretAnn^s Place gives them opportunities to play - to be kids again!
Opportunities to Remember and Commemorate
No one wants to forget a loved one as time passes. Activities and times of sharing at MargaretAnn^s Place allow children to share their memories and create tangible items that will help them remember.
Validation of Experiences and Feelings
It^s easy to feel like we are "going crazy" as we wade through our grief. The support groups at MargaretAnn^s Place allow experiences and feelings to be expressed and validated in a place of acceptance.
Listening Ears That Promote Healing
Genuine listening is therapeutic - it helps us grieve and grow. Children don^t care how much we know - they want to know how much we care! Listening ears are always available at MargaretAnn^s Place.
Lots of Hugs!
Grieving children often feel that the people in their world are pulling away from them. They need the reassurance that they are OK, that they are still loved. At MargaretAnn^s Place the hugs are plentiful - and free!
MargaretAnn's
Place
Wisconsin's
Center of Hope for Grieving Children
Mailing
Address: 2522 63rd Street, Kenosha, WI 53143
(262) 656-9656 or Toll Free (866) 455-HOPE (4673)
E-mail: hope@margaretannsplace.org |
