BJC Hospice holds the Labyrinth camp, a one-day retreat for teens ages 13-19, at Camp Wyman. The camp is for teens who have recently experienced the death of a loved one.
Through special activities and sharing, teens will learn ways to identify and express grief, remember the one who was lost, and learn tools to cope with the loss in the future.
The event is lead by BJC Hospice staff and trained volunteers. Labyrinth is offered at no charge to the participants, and is made possible through the fundraising activities of the staff at Magellan Health Services.
Grief is a complex emotion for anyone, but it's especially so for teenagers. Often, they're told to "be strong" for other family members, and in doing so, put their own grief on hold.
They might be feeling stunned and shocked, especially if the death was sudden, and off-balance at both school and home.
Families might assume that the teen has friends to lean on, but the friends might not know how to handle the death, and avoid the subject entirely. Organized peer support has been found to be one of the best ways to help bereaved teens heal. Sharing teens can remember, mourn, and support one another, and learn that they're not alone in their grief.
Labyrinth activities include a rope obstacle course, making masks to show what the teens are comfortable showing the outside world and what they feel inside, and making memory boxes that feature a “finger labyrinth that participants can trace once they leave the event. Teens will also get the opportunity to walk the “labyrinth” for which the retreat is named.
For more information, visit BJC Hospice.
