Bereavement Camps: A Place to Grieve and Heal

Bereavement camps, seminars and retreats offer a place for survivors to connect with others. Being with peers who have dealt with grief can reassure you that what you’re feeling is normal — and help you with your journey.

Professionals and volunteers run the camps. Grants and donations help support the camps, making them available at little or no cost to families. Separate camps are conducted for adults and children.

Camps for children and teens

Losing a loved one can be especially tough for children, so finding resources tailored to their needs is essential. Camp time is often a mix of physical activities and social events, such as swimming, hiking and games.

Physical and social activities can relieve stress. They can also help campers deal with the emotional struggles related to the traumatic experience of a loved one’s death.

The following camps and programs work to provide grieving children with a comfortable place to talk about their emotions and feel understood:

• Comfort Zone Camp is a nonprofit bereavement camp that brings together children who have lost a parent, sibling or primary caregiver. These free camps, which are held year-round across the country, include confidence-building programs and support groups for youths ages 7-17. Comfort Zone Camp also offers virtual camp programs.
• The Dougy Center provides a safe place for children, teens, young adults and their families to share their grieving experience through peer support groups, education and training.
• Eluna provides comfort, hope and healing to children of military families and hosts a free weekend-long experience of traditional camp activities combined with grief education and emotional support at Camp Erin.
• Good Grief Camps and Family Camps, offered through the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, pair young survivors with active-duty military and veteran mentors who understand the military and can help guide young survivors through their journey of grief. The camps are offered at different locations throughout the United States.
• Snowball Express’ mission is to create hope and new memories for the children of deceased service members who died while serving our country since Sept. 11, 2001. During December, it brings children together from all over the world for an all-expenses-paid, five-day gala filled with activities, such as sporting events, dances and amusement park visits.
• Project Common Bond, a program of Tuesday’s Children, provides camps and retreats for teens and young adults ages 15-20 who have lost a family member because of an act of terrorism. Each summer, new Project Common Bond participants attend a summer symposium focused on global leadership activities, peace building, skill building, and collaborative and therapeutic arts, music, drama and sports.
• SOFWOLF is a nonprofit organization that offers a college and career outdoor leadership program for teenagers of the deceased Special Operations Forces service members, which includes Air Force Commandos, Green Berets, Navy SEALs and Marine Special Operators. Each summer, students are flown to Park City, Utah, where they participate in team-building activities, career mentoring, resume-building, community outreach and networking for internships.

Programs for adults

Retreats and seminars are available for adults as well. They connect survivors with other adults who have lost loved ones and teach them coping skills. Consult “The Days Ahead” resource for a more complete list of support organizations.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by grief, contact one of the following services at any time:

• Department of Veterans Affairs Bereavement Counseling
• Military OneSource consultants at 800-342-9647 for CONUS, or view overseas calling options
• Military OneSource’s confidential, non-medical counseling service, available face to face, online, through video chat or by phone