Each year, children worldwide spend time away from home, making new memories and friends at summer camps. But for a select group of 6- 17-year-old kids who gather each August in Lapeer, there's more to it than canoeing, swimming, playing basketball, arts and crafts, and making s'mores over the campfire. For these kids, this summer camp is also about processing their grief.

Empowering Children to Overcome Grief's Challenges

Addressing the Unspoken Need for Grief Support

There's a common misconception that children are inherently resilient and don't require specialized grief support when a loved one passes away. However, the team at Wellspring Lutheran Services Hospice has witnessed firsthand that children and teens grieve differently than adults, often processing their emotions in doses rather than fully immersing themselves in the grieving process. Recognizing this need, they created Camp Hope in 2004, a three-day, two-night camp designed to provide a safe space for young individuals to navigate their grief.

Fostering Collaboration and Mentorship

In 2006, the camp's bereavement coordinator, Jane Olivier, began collaborating with Maureen Tippen, a former associate professor at the University of Michigan-Flint's School of Nursing, to offer an internship opportunity for nursing students. This partnership continued until the COVID-19 pandemic, when the proverbial baton was passed to professor of psychology Susan Gano-Phillips. Gano-Phillips saw the internship as an invaluable experience for her psychology students, allowing them to develop a wide range of skills while making a meaningful impact on the lives of the campers.

Empowering the Next Generation of Grief Counselors

In 2023, eleven psychology interns from the University of Michigan-Flint provided almost 1,000 hours of service to Camp Hope. Their contributions ranged from creating "Moving Forward" grief toolkits for the campers to developing resource lists of books, videos, and podcasts about grief and recovery. The interns also facilitated team-building activities, introduced a bracelet-making exercise to remind campers of their support systems, and led other activities designed to help the kids share their grief experiences.

Fostering Emotional Expression and Coping Strategies

One of the most impactful activities at Camp Hope is the "fishbowl of feelings," where campers associate different colors with their emotions and pour them into a bowl, creating a murky, uncomfortable mixture. This visual representation of the complexity of grief helps the children understand and process their emotions. The activity then guides them through finding healthy coping mechanisms, such as riding a bike, listening to music, or hugging a loved one, to help clear the "murkiness" of their grief.

Transforming Perspectives and Inspiring Future Careers

The internship experience at Camp Hope has had a profound impact on the participating students, expanding their perspectives and inspiring them to consider new career paths. For senior Bruce Bourne, the opportunity to share his own grief experience and learn how to observe and process his emotions while mentoring the young campers was invaluable. The internship not only solidified his plans for future work but also helped him develop essential skills, such as communication, teamwork, critical thinking, and leadership.

Rippling Through the Community

The collaboration between the University of Michigan-Flint and Camp Hope has had a far-reaching impact, as the students who participate in the internship program bring their experiences and newfound skills into their future careers. Jane Olivier, the bereavement coordinator, is moved by the thought of these students changing the narrative around grief, death, and dying, and inspiring others to develop the necessary skills to support individuals and families during these challenging times.