The Garden A Center for Grieving Children and Teens

01/12/2026

Sharing news about a life‑limiting illness in the family is never easy — especially when it comes to talking with children. But having those conversations sooner rather than later can make a world of difference.

Highmark Caring Place offers thoughtful guidance to help families navigate these difficult moments with honesty, love, and support. If you’re facing a tough conversation, these steps can help you approach it with clarity and care.

No one should have to walk this path alone, and resources like these can make the journey a little gentler for everyone involved.

www.highmarkcaringplace.com/cp2/pdf/connectingFamily.pdf

01/09/2026

🕊 Faces of Grief: A Photography Exhibit Honoring Love, Loss & Connection

Cooley Dickinson VNA & Hospice and The Garden A Center for Grieving Children and Teens are partnering with Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) to present Faces of Grief, a powerful photography exhibit running January 20–February 6, 2026 at the Carberry Fine Arts Gallery on the STCC campus.

📸 Public Reception:
Saturday, January 30, 2026
11 AM–1 PM

Under the guidance of Professor Sondra Peron, STCC darkroom photography students have created intimate portraits of individuals holding or displaying meaningful objects that connect them to loved ones who have died.

“Grief is often a silent experience,” shares Shelly Bathe Lenn, Bereavement Coordinator at Cooley Dickinson VNA & Hospice and The Garden. “This project offers a powerful way to honor those we've lost and to open up conversations that help us feel less alone.”

Shelly, who has supported grieving individuals across Western Massachusetts since 2002, continues to foster healing spaces for children, teens, and adults through her work with The Garden and Cooley Dickinson VNA & Hospice.

The Faces of Grief exhibit seeks to destigmatize grief and transform discomfort into connection. We welcome all community members to attend the reception, view the portraits, and witness the resilience and love reflected in each story.

📞 For more information, please contact Shelly Bathe Lenn at 413‑727‑5749.

01/07/2026

🌱 Helping Children & Teens Cope During Difficult Times

Challenging moments can also be powerful opportunities for young people to build lifelong coping skills. With patience, honesty, and connection, we can help them feel supported and understood.
Here are a few gentle reminders inspired by guidance from organizations like The Children’s Room:

✨ Providing a safe place for children/teens to share
✨ Providing truthful and age-appropriate information
✨ Be there for them
✨ Model healthy coping through your own actions
✨ Allowing them to ask questions
✨ Stay connected — supportive relationships make a difference
✨ Setting limits

Together, we can help kids and teens feel seen, heard, and supported as they navigate difficult times.

Read The Children's Place tip sheet to learn more - chrome-extensio://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://childrensroom.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/helping_children_cope_nov21.pdf

01/05/2026

🕊 Faces of Grief: A Photography Exhibit Honoring Love, Loss & Connection
Cooley Dickinson VNA & Hospice and The Garden A Center for Grieving Children and Teens are partnering with Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) to present Faces of Grief, a powerful photography exhibit running January 20–February 6, 2026 at the Carberry Fine Arts Gallery on the STCC campus.

📸 Public Reception:
Saturday, January 30, 2026
11 AM–1 PM

Under the guidance of Professor Sondra Peron, STCC darkroom photography students have created intimate portraits of individuals holding or displaying meaningful objects that connect them to loved ones who have died.

“Grief is often a silent experience,” shares Shelly Bathe Lenn, Bereavement Coordinator at Cooley Dickinson VNA & Hospice. “This project offers a powerful way to honor those we've lost and to open up conversations that help us feel less alone.”
Shelly, who has supported grieving individuals across Western Massachusetts since 2002, continues to foster healing spaces for children, teens, and adults through her work with The Garden and Cooley Dickinson VNA & Hospice.

The Faces of Grief exhibit seeks to destigmatize grief and transform discomfort into connection. We welcome all community members to attend the reception, view the portraits, and witness the resilience and love reflected in each story.

📞 For more information, please contact Shelly Bathe Lenn at 413‑727‑5749.

12/31/2025

✨ Wishing You a Gentle and Hopeful New Year ✨

As we welcome 2026, all of us at The Garden: A Center for Grieving Children and Teens are holding our community close in our hearts. New beginnings can bring both hope and heartache, especially for children and families navigating grief.
To everyone carrying the memory of someone they love into the new year, we see you. We honor your strength, your stories, and the love that continues to grow even in loss.

May the year ahead bring moments of peace, connection, and healing.
💛 From all of us at The Garden, we wish you a gentle and meaningful New Year.

12/29/2025

🌱 At The Garden, we know that even small acts of kindness can help grieving hearts grow.

That’s why we’re excited to share this wonderful resource from Judi’s House — a collection of simple, meaningful kindness activities for children, teens, and families.

Whether it’s creating a Basket of Kindness, making Kindness Cards in honor or memory of someone special, or helping younger children build a Kindness Flower to practice self‑kindness, these activities offer gentle ways to cope, connect, and heal.

💚 Why kindness?
Practicing kindness can release “feel‑good” chemicals in the brain and help grieving kids feel more grounded and supported. It’s a beautiful way to honor loved ones while nurturing compassion in ourselves and others.

🌼 Explore the activities here: https://judishouse.org/kindness-activities/

Let us know which one you try — we love seeing kindness bloom in our community.

Being kind to others can be a healthy coping skill! When we practice acts of kindness, it can release “feel good” chemicals in our brain.

12/24/2025

Happy Holidays from The Garden

As we enter this holiday season, we hold close the children, teens, and families who are navigating grief. 💚

At The Garden, we believe the holidays can be a time to honor memories, share love, and find comfort in community. 🌟

✨ May your days be filled with gentle moments of peace, cherished traditions, and the reminder that you are not alone.

From all of us at The Garden, we wish you a holiday season filled with hope, healing, and connection. 🌼

12/22/2025

The holiday season can be bittersweet for children and teens who are missing someone they love. At The Garden, we remind families that it’s okay to feel a mix of emotions during this time. 💚

🌱 Consider creating a new tradition to honor your loved one, like lighting a candle or sharing a favorite memory. These small acts can help children feel connected while also giving them space to heal.
Remember: grief and joy can coexist. Together, we can support children in finding hope and comfort this holiday season. ❤️

12/19/2025

🌟 A Safe Place to Heal Together

At The Garden, children and teens ages 5–18 find comfort in knowing they are not alone. 💚

Here, they can:
-Share memories of loved ones
-Connect with peers who understand their grief
-Discover healthy ways to express feelings
-Begin to heal in a supportive, nurturing environment

🌱 Every story matters. Every child deserves a safe space to grieve, grow, and find hope again.

If your family is navigating loss, know that The Garden is here to walk alongside you. Together, we create a community of compassion and resilience. 🌼

If in need of support for your child or teen, contact The Garden at 413-727-5749.

12/15/2025

At The Garden, we know that children and teens often struggle to make sense of loss. That’s why we share trusted resources like the Coalition to Support Grieving Students, which offers age-appropriate guidance on how to explain concepts of death in ways that help young people cope.

💡 These resources provide:
-Clear language for talking about death with children
-Tips for caregivers and teachers supporting grieving students
-Activities that encourage healthy expression of feelings

We encourage families, educators, and community members to explore these tools and use them to support grieving children in their journey. Together, we can create safe spaces for healing and hope. 💚

The Coalition to Support Grieving Students is a unique collaboration of the leading professional organizations representing classroom teachers (including teachers, paraprofessionals, and other instructional staff), principals, assistant principals, superintendents, school board members, and central....

12/10/2025

Grief doesn’t stop at the classroom door. That’s why we partner with schools to provide compassionate support for students coping with loss.

Through storytelling, group activities, and even hands-on projects children and teens find a safe space to express their feelings, connect with peers, and discover hope in the midst of grief.

In schools, The Garden helps:
- Create supportive environments where grief is acknowledged, not hidden
- Give students a place to heal, grow, and remember loved ones

💬 Teachers: You are not alone in supporting grieving students. The Garden is here to help bring healing and resilience into your classrooms. Learn more by visiting our webpage https://www.cooleydickinson.org/programs-services/vna-hospice/the-garden/

Need book ideas for the classroom? Here are some ideas from What's Your Grief - https://whatsyourgrief.com/childrens-book-grief-in-the-classroom/

Guest author Lauren McGovern talks discussing death, grief, and loss in the classroom environment in a safe and inclusive way.

12/08/2025

✨ The holidays can be a time of joy, but for those who are grieving, they can also bring stress, loneliness, and sadness. Judi’s House has created a powerful resource to help families navigate this season with compassion and care.

💜 Whether you’re supporting children, honoring traditions, or simply trying to make it through, their insights remind us that grief is unique—and you don’t have to face it alone.
👉 Read more here: https://judishouse.org/resources/grief-and-the-holidays/

Let’s remember to hold space for ourselves and others this holiday season. 🌟