Testimonials
During Children’s Grief Awareness Month we educate, advocate, and raise awareness about the needs of grieving children, teens, and their families. Children grieve in different ways at different times. Some children take longer to process their emotions than others. According to google dictionary grief is defined as deep sorrow, especially caused by someone’s death. Although grieving isn’t always death related. We grieve when we move schools or cities. Some might grieve a loss of a pet or friend. Others have experienced a loss due to deportation or separation.
Kacey Menge, UNLV BSW Practicum Student
Adam’s Place is a fantastic resource for the Las Vegas community. Especially this year, everyone is experiencing so much loss and the need is ever-growing. I am so fortunate to continue working with Kelly and her team to finish out my academic career. The kids have taught me so much about life and loss. Seeing the results of our group work in such a short timespan is incredible.Validation and safety is really what these kids are yearning for and that’s exactly what Adam’s PLace can provide.
Olivia Salinas, UNLV BSW Practicum Student
Adam’s Place has given me the opportunity to see how necessary grief support is, especially with the world we’re living in today. Almost everyone has experienced some kind of significant loss in their life, but not everyone has access to the mental health services they may need to process that loss in a healthy way. For Adam’s Place to be able to provide their resources at no cost allows people from all walks of life to start their healing journey. While they offer assistance to all ages, their curriculum is geared towards children and teens, which is an incredibly vulnerable population. I have been able to see how the support groups help teens with their ability to talk about their loss and talk about how they have honestly felt. These teens feel like they can truly open up without fear or worry of upsetting anyone because us as facilitators have been trained to allow them their own space and our open ears. With everything going on in the world today, all the death and heightened emotions, I believe the work Adam’s Place is doing can do so much good for so many people, especially young children and teens.
Cynthia Hernandez
Speaking from a CASA volunteer standpoint I can say that I have witnessed how a child’s life has been impacted when they were removed from the home especially when they are younger. We as adults sometimes undermind a child's emotions. We tend to think “oh their little they won't understand or their fine. Adults sometimes are too busy and forget to check in with their children and ask if they are okay. Most children will say they are fine when they are not because they feel unheard; that their caregiver isn’t asking because they care but to check a box saying I asked and they were okay. As part of the little’s community we have shown our Littles that although they might be small they have a voice and deserve to be heard.
Vanessa Garcia
Speaking from a guest substitute standpoint I can say that if a child’s grief goes unresolved after losing a loved one, it can put their emotional, physical, social and academic well-being at risk. How can we expect our children to focus on their academics when they are not meeting their basic need of safety. As part of the Littles’s community we want to help provide the adequate resources in order to help shape healthy members of society who at one point will be able to achieve their full potential.
