The Solace Tree shares lessons learned in 20 years of helping kids and teens cope with grief

RENO, Nev. (KOLO) - The Solace Tree “strives to help children, teens and families who are struggling with the loss of a loved one by providing a safe place for them to express their feelings of grief.” They’ve been serving the Reno-Sparks community for 20 years through peer-support programs which helps participants learn to deal with their grief in a positive and healthy way.

Founder, executive director and pediatric thanatologist, Emilio Parga, and former participant, Zach Ruward, stopped by Morning Break to share their experiences with The Solace Tree and the lessons learned over the past two decades.

Twenty years of lessons learned include:

• Children and teens benefit from sharing their loss with others.
• Children and teens need adults to listen and be present.
• We must allow for children’s first losses – first feelings.
• We must provide outlets for children and teens to grieve.
• We should never underestimate a child’s ability to grieve, think, feel, love.
• As adults, it’s our responsibility to help package and deliver sad news to children.
• Children will carry their trauma until they are allowed to grieve.

November is Child and Teen Grief Awareness Month and Thursday, Nov. 16 is the specific awareness day where people are encouraged to wear blue in support of youth grief. To learn more about resources offered at The Solace Tree, click here. The Solace Tree is also on Facebook and Instagram.

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