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The Children's Bereavement Center of South Texas supports children who have experienced the death of a loved one through its several different grief camps.
Research has shown there is a strong need for young adults who need a support system to navigate through the grief of a lost friend or relative.
The Children's Bereavement Center of South Texas has launched a specialized grief camp supporting these young adults who may not have anywhere to turn to during the grieving process.
Grief Camp Manager Sarah Kronenthal recognized a need for the one-day Young Adult Camp pilot program aimed at young adults ages 18-24. Her research found that the national grief care landscape centers more toward children and families, often ignoring the young adult age group, which has the highest rates of severe mental illness.
“I saw some data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration that said nearly one in three young adults report significant anxiety and depression and suicide as the leading cause of death in that age range,” said Kronenthal.
One activity involves participants bringing a photo of the person they lost. This longstanding tradition is used in grief camps for children.
“So, campers bring a photo of the person who died, they introduce us to them, and the photo remains displayed throughout the duration of camp,” said Kronenthal.
The McNay Art Museum, which will host the one-day camp, helped shape the photo tradition and other activities utilizing the museum space.
“We're inviting all the campers to engage directly with the McNay Art Museum,” said Kronenthal. “So, they'll take part in a guided experience through the galleries and reflect on which artworks resonate with their grief or with the person that's died, and then they'll share those selections with one another and connect art to their grief.”
Other activities include an activity that's an adaptation of Kintsugi, which is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold.
Kronenthal hopes the development of the pilot program becomes more sustainable so that young adults know there's a space that's been designed just for them.
“This camp is not about fixing grief or making anything perfect but just noticing how we've been impacted and honoring what's been broken and choosing how we're going to put the pieces back together,” said Kronenthal.
The Young Adult Camp at San Antonio’s McNay Art Museum is Saturday, Feb. 28 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Read more and find application information for the camp at the website for the Children's Bereavement Center of South Texas.
