Aarvy Aardvark Finds Hope

A puppet show presented for children by the Dozoretz Center For Family Healing

Adapted from the children's book written by the renowned expert on

grief and loss, Donna O'Toole.

Available free of charge to 2nd, 3rd and 4th grade students in local public

and private schools as well as youth groups and Sunday Schools.

 

In their young lives, children, seven, eight and nine years of age, have already struggled with loss and life transitions in many ways. Whether it be through family illness, the death of a loved one, separation or divorce, military deployment, or a natural disaster, children need to be guided through the process in a manner which leads towards healing and personal growth. Although the adults close to them are supportive, they may also be experiencing their own loss and may not be able to fully cope with the responsibilities at hand.

Through the journey of Aarvy, a young aardvark, the puppet show presents scenerios that walk the spectators through pain, sadness and eventual hope for the future.

The puppet show covers the following key points.

• Grief is a natural healing process.
• Grief is an extremely personal experience, yet recognizable common themes create a bond amongst those who grieve.
• Its effects are experienced emotionally, physically, spiritually, behaviorally and cognitively.
• Friends and family members may non-intentionally respond to the grief of those they care about in non-helpful ways, causing the bereaved to feel diminished and adding to their pain.
• Grief takes time to come to fullness. How much time depends on many factors.
• Sometimes grief is wordless. Adults and children alike, can't always "talk about it."
• The purpose of grief is not to forget the past, but to find safe ways to remember so the importance of what was lost can be understood and rehabilitated into the life of the person who experienced the loss.
• Curiosity, imagination and hope aid the healing and growth process.
• Rituals provide an opportunity to honor the importance of what was lost, to understand the meaning of the loss, to acknowledge the finality and to say goodbye.

Each program is followed by a facilitated discussion led by a JFS grief expert. Children are given the opportunity to speak out and share their own experiences in a peer-friendly, safe and supportive environment.

The JFS staff is also available by appointment at the Dozoretz Center for Family Healing to meet with any child identified by their parents or guidance counselor as needing a little extra support through individual counseling.

Anyone interested in finding out more about this program, or scheduling a puppet show can call the show's coordinator, Jennie Norfleet at (757) 321-2222.

Dozoretz Center For Family Healing