Willmar Family Grief and Healing Center

Willmar offers (free of charge) compassionate peer Grief group support for children & teens (ages 3 1/2 to 19), and adults coping with the death of someone close. In Willmar Center's trusting, non-judgmental environment, participants explore the many facets of their Grief as they work toward reconfiguring their lives. The Center's Grief support program includes bi-weekly peer support groups for the following: 1 young kids; 1-2 elementary; 2 specialty Grief support groups (1 for preteens and 1 for teens) for the valley of the moon foster care emergency services, called the "here & now - peer Grief support"; 2 adult Grief group support.willmar's in-house weekly peer Grief support groups include: 1 for middle school youth, and 1 for teens. "Grief reach" is an on-site weekly peer Grief support program designed and implemented by Willmar for three sonoma valley elementary schools.for Willmar, regular Grief support programming runs 10 months a year, and all children and teens participate in an intake/assessment interview with Willmar's executive director prior to joining their developmentally appropriate peer support group. During each session the professional group facilitators and program volunteers interact with the group members while also carefully assessing the progress of each participant throughout their time at the center.all Willmar Grief program volunteers participate in an in-depth training and must pass a background and dept. Of justice clearance check prior to starting. All program volunteers meet 1 hour pior to the start of the peer Grief support group. And 1 hour post-session, for a total of 3 1/2 hours of volunteer time each session.

For children, teens and their Family members living with someone suffering from a life changing illness or injury, Willmar offers bi-weekly living with illness peer group support groups. The living with illness (lwi) peer support group includes: 1 kids living with illness; 1 teens living with illness; 1 adults living with illness. All groups meet for 1 1/2 hours per session and are ongoing.for Willmar, regular living with illness programming runs 10 months a year, and all children and teens participate in an intake/assessment interview with Willmar's executive director prior to joining their developmentally appropriate peer support group. During each session the professional group facilitators and program volunteers interact with the group members while also carefully assessing the progress of each participant throughout their time at the center.all Willmar lwi program volunteers participate in an in-depth training and must pass a background and dept. Of justice clearance check prior to starting. All program volunteers meet 1 hour pior to the start of the peer Grief support group. And 1 hour post-session, for a total of 3 1/2 hours of volunteer time each session.