The month of April has always been bittersweet for me.  It is my birthday month (I love having that in common with Brooke's Place!), but it is also the month that my sister, Sandi, died.  April is when we begin to see new life--birds return and bless us with their song, trees begin to bud, and flowers start their blooms--but, the memory of a tragic death is continuously at the forefront of my thoughts.  Sandi died in a motor vehicle accident two days before my 16th birthday and I spent the rest of my high school years feeling like I didn't fit in with anyone.  It was a lonely existence.  As I get ready to turn 50 (!) this year, I feel so blessed by the work I do with Brooke's Place, and the wonderful people I share this work with!!  We all work towards our vision that children, teens, young adults, and their families living with grief feel supported and understood.  Join with me in ensuring that NO young person feels alone!

BROOKE'S PLACE PROVIDES SUPPORT GROUPS, THERAPY SERVICES AND COMMUNITY EDUCATION TO EMPOWER CHILDREN, TEENS, YOUNG ADULTS AND THEIR FAMILIES TO THRIVE IN THE MIDST OF GRIEF. Experiencing the death of someone significant can be very isolating for children, and their behavior can often times be misinterpreted as something other than an expression of grief. Risks of unaddressed grief in a child includes isolation, substance abuse, depression, poor school performance, aggression, and anxiety.Because 1 in 7 children will lose a parent, sibling or close loved one by the time they are 20, Brookes Place works to create a community where every young person living with grief feels safe, supported and understood during their personal grief journey.