The Bethany Center for Grieving Children, founded in 1991, is named in honor of Bethany Anne Traviesa. When Bethany was dying of cancer she was concerned that her children have a safe place to share their feelings and receive support.

Today, The Bethany Center, located on Lake Ariana in Auburndale, is a service of Good Shepherd Hospice and provides a supportive environment for any child whose loved one or friend is desperately ill or has died. The cause can be a long illness or unexpected as from violence or an accident. It's a place where professional staff answer questions, counsel and help children and teens learn to cope. The professional staff also offers grief support groups at the child's school or other locations in the community.

Children and teens experience the loss of a loved one just as deeply as adults do - perhaps more so. Understanding their feelings and helping them cope effectively with their grief is essential in developing a healthy emotional and mental framework for adulthood.

The Bethany Center offers a number of counseling programs designed to address the ongoing needs of children, teens and families suffering the loss or the terminal illness of a loved one. Individual counseling is available, as well as support groups for various ages and family members.

Support Groups: Group programs that stress the importance of intra-family support, while providing education on the grieving process.

Holiday Grief Programs:The holidays can be an exceptionally difficult time for anyone who has lost a loved one. This program helps individuals through this time of the year and keeps grief from stealing the holidays.

Camp Brave Heart: A very special program of The Bethany Center is Camp Brave Heart, a three-day retreat for young people ages 6 through 17 who have experienced the death of a loved one. This weekend camp provides a safe setting in which young people can share their feelings and learn ways to cope with the loss they have experienced.

School Support Group: This group is for school age children who would benefit from peer group support. The counselor meets with the children on campus to provide support and education.

Community Education: An outreach program that provides grief training and education to the community via clubs, churches, associations and schools.

Crisis Intervention: Direct grief support services to respond to immediate and long-term emotional crises associated with traumatic loss.

For more information on any of these programs, contact The Bethany Center today at (863) 968-1707 or (800) 464-3994.

Our children and teen grief programs are made possible through the generous support of the community and are funded in part by the United Way of Central Florida. Please join us in fulfilling this very special need.Donate now