‘Adventures’ Aims To Help Teens And Young Adults
ConnectionsPlus Healthcare + Hospice has announced its selection as one of seven partner sites to participate in the groundbreaking Adventures Through Grief program, led by Blue Ridge Hospice.
This initiative was made possible by a grant from the New York Life Foundation, aiming to explore and enhance grief support for teens and young adults through a unique therapeutic tabletop role-playing game.
The selected partner sites, which include a diverse array of grief support organizations from across the nation, are:
• Avow Hospice (Naples, Florida)
• Children’s Bereavement Center Rio Grande Valley (Harlingen, Texas)
• ConnectionsPlus Healthcare + Hospice (Lexington, Virginia)
• EverHeart Hospice (Greenville, Ohio)
• Hospice of the Chesapeake- Chesapeake Life Center (Severna Park, Maryland)
• The Elizabeth Hospice (Escondido, California)
• The Grief Center of Southwest Colorado (Durango, Colorado) These sites will play a pivotal role in implementing the Adventures Through Grief program, which uses a custom tabletop role-playing module developed in collaboration with the partner sites and training partners to provide therapeutic support to bereaved adolescents and young adults. The program aims to foster emotional healing through creative, low-risk social interactions guided by professional grief counselors.
Each partner site will receive funding to support program implementation and continuous consultation, along with 20 hours of facilitator training for up to 24 grief professionals. The 10-week program will be a crucial part of the research efforts led by licensed clinical psychologists Elizabeth Kilmer and Jared Kilmer, who will assess the program’s impact on grief, social isolation, and loneliness.
“We are excited and honored to be a part of this collaborative effort,” said Tasha Walsh, CEO of ConnectionsPlus Healthcare + Hospice. “We hope this program will provide some creative opportunities to support younger people who may be struggling through a grief journey and are excited to bring it to our community.”
Delea Bowerfind, director of counseling services at ConnectionsPlus Healthcare + Hospice, added, “We are honored to be a partner in the Adventures Through Grief collaboration, and support teens in an innovative game centered way. By fostering connections and guiding them through their grief, we help them find strength and healing.”
ConnectionsPlus Healthcare + Hospice is looking forward to beginning the Adventures Through Grief program, said Walsh. “Please keep an eye out for an announcement on dates or for more information about the program, call (540) 463-1848, ext.122, or email dbowerfind@ connectionsplus.care,” she said.
