Toronto Grief Counselling

04/25/2024

We’re excited to announce the release of our first resource to help people understand their own, and others’ . This infographic highlights key facts about grief that are commonly misunderstood. Sending out a big thank you to the grief specialists and our Great Big Grief Focus Group for their time and insights in creating this resource. Available in English and French.

04/10/2024

Thinking of all those who have lost a sibling.

09/21/2023

Join us for an 8-week IN-PERSON grief support group!

05/17/2023

05/08/2023

Today is Bereaved Mother's Day, the day we honor the mothers who hold their children in their hearts instead of their arms.

If you know a mother who has lost a child, one way you can offer support is by continuing to say her child's name. Often when someone dies, people stop saying their name around the grieving family. Experts agree that many families want to hear the child’s name out loud.

Grief-support expert Shelly Gillan of Kara says that “it reminds them that their child is still loved and missed by many. A parent’s worst fear is that their child will be forgotten.”

You could say something like, “You’re on my mind today. I miss Michael, too.”

11/09/2022

08/06/2022

02/23/2022

In our grief training last week, we talked about the barriers to supporting grieving children AND how you can help!

Some of the most common barriers include:

🔹 Fear of saying the wrong thing
🔹 Discomfort with difficult emotions
🔹 Fear of making things worse
🔹 Personal loss history
🔹 Feeling helpless to “fix”

So how can you help? 💭

As Sarah has said, BEING WITH another grief is enough. What could that look like?

💙 Create a safe environment, be at eye level
💙 Ask what they know so far
💙 Ask if they have any questions
💙 Be honest and use concrete language
💙 Let the child lead the direction

Remember, you don’t have to know all the answers. It can be powerful to just wonder together! Provide lots of options for asking for more information or to say it’s enough for the moment… give them control!

For anyone who has experienced grief, what have you found helpful or unhelpful?

01/14/2022

Don't forget to register for our bereavement groups starting next week Tues Jan 18 to Mar 22. Registration closes at noon Jan 18th, so save your spot now.

01/11/2022

BFO has a Cantonese grief support group stating Feb 17.

12/20/2021

Dr Jay Children's Grief Centre has moved to Yorktown Family Services!

In May 2021, DJCGC made the difficult decision to permanently close. After months of careful review and extensive consideration we are pleased to announce that has been selected to continue DJCGC’s legacy of building strength, resilience and hope with children, youth and families.

DJCGC’s counselling team has been welcomed to the Yorktown family to continue to provide the same compassionate care, support, and education to grieving children, youth, and families that DJCGC is renowned for.

DJCGC’s well-established multidisciplinary and collaborative counselling and education programs for individuals and groups have now transitioned to Yorktown Family Services’ core clinical services. The program provides a variety of supports for children, youth and families (age 0-21) living in the city of Toronto:
- Bereavement counselling support after the death of an immediate family member or custodial caregiver
- Acute Response services for families where death is anticipated and imminent with a prognosis of 6 months or less or after a sudden or traumatic death
- Child and Youth Support Program group support for bereaved children and youth
- Family Support Program offers Family Nights and workshops for caregivers

Referrals are made through intake: 416-394-2424 x234

The Grief and Bereavement program provides opportunities for youth and young adults ages 13 to 24 through the Youth Advisory Committee (YAC). The YAC offers their unique perspective for grieving youth to examine grief services, develop resources, and spread education and awareness to support others in their grief journeys. Stayed tuned for more information on the Grief and Bereavement Youth Advisory Committee, coming soon.

For more information on Yorktown Family Services and our programs and supports for children, youth and families or to be notified about upcoming volunteer opportunities, please click the link in our bio or email at [email protected]

11/19/2021

Have you heard of regrief? SO glad this has a name.

explains it like this...
"Regrief is the developmentally appropriate processing of the grief experience from a different perspective than was possible earlier. Basically, when you are a child and you lose someone while at a certain developmental stage, you can only grieve in ways that your age and development allow (in “developmentally appropriate” ways). If I am five years old and I lose my mom, I make sense of that loss as a five-year-old can, with the cognitive and emotional capacities that a five-year-old has. But then this funny thing happens – I age. I move into the next developmental stage and the next and the next. In each new stage, I suddenly have a new understanding of my loss, and I now ‘regrieve’ that loss from this new, more mature perspective."

Does it resonate with you? 💜🙏🏿