Bereavement services for adults and children at Penn Medicine
Death is a natural part of life. But that doesn’t make coping with the loss of a close friend or family member any easier. Our team can help you navigate this difficult time and find healing and peace.
For more information: email PMHospiceBereavementServices@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Bereavement services for adults
Grieving looks different for everyone. That’s why we offer several ways to cope with the loss of a loved one. Our services include:
For bereaved of hospice patients, we offer free bereavement services for adults up to one year following a loved one’s death.
For community bereaved, we offer two free virtual counseling sessions as well as access to our support groups.
You meet with a therapist one-on-one to help you process your feelings and look toward the future.
Being with people who understand what you’re going through can help when you’re grieving. Bereavement support groups offer a safe space to talk about your loss with the support of others. Groups meet weekly, for eight sessions. A new group usually begins every four to six weeks.
We offer a series of videos, presentations, and other resources you can use at your convenience to support you through the healing process. Topics include managing stress and practicing self-care. We also offer an annual service of remembrance (memorial service) to help you honor a loved one who has died in the past year.
Bereavement services for children
Children and teens experience grief differently than adults. They may go from yelling and crying one minute to laughing and playing the next.
Our bereavement counselors can help you develop ways to connect with your child, encourage them to express their emotions, and help them build healthy coping skills for the future.
David Bradley Children’s Bereavement Program
It is now widely understood that children grieve in different ways than adults. A child’s grief may be influenced by age, personality, developmental stage, earlier experiences with death or their relationship with the deceased. Children may express grief by sadness, physical symptoms, acting out, intense curiosity about death, withdrawal, or even seeming like nothing has happened. Children and their caregivers can benefit from support services to help guide them through the grieving process.
The David Bradley Children’s Bereavement Program at Penn Medicine Hospice offers grief support services to children ages 2 through 18 and their families. Services include:
- Consultation and coaching for caregivers: A child bereavement counselor is available virtually to discuss concerns about a child who is grieving or affected by the illness of someone important in their life. Research supports that the healthier caregivers are with their modeling of emotions and processing, the better children fare. Our family consultation model supports caregivers, which enables them to support their children. Virtual services may include family sessions or one on one support for children and caregivers. Children are encouraged to participate in activities that foster self-expression and creativity.
- Information: Printed resources about children’s grief are available for children, teens and caregivers.
- Referrals: When appropriate, bereavement counselors can provide referrals for long-term interventions and support groups.
The David Bradley Children’s Bereavement Program also offers services to the community, including educational programs to assist professionals, caregivers and those who are concerned about grieving children.
Camp Erin Philadelphia
Camp Erin® Philadelphia is for children and teens ages 6 to 17 who are grieving the loss of a loved one. Led by licensed social workers and counselors, Camp Erin is a free weekend program that provides a caring environment where kids can explore their grief, learn essential coping skills, and make friends with peers.
Camp Erin takes place in Montgomery, PA every June. It includes traditional camp activities—arts and crafts, sports, games, and campfires—as well as bereavement support activities.
Camp Erin 2026 applications are now closed. Please email Kathryn.Hartley@pennmedicine.upenn.edu to be placed on the notification list for Camp Erin 2027.
Volunteer with Camp Erin
Interested in volunteering at Camp Erin? Check out the roles we need assistance with. You must be 18 or older to apply. Volunteer training takes place over the course of two Saturdays: one in April and another in May.
New volunteers click here to apply. Return volunteers click here to apply
For more information, call 800-700-8807 or email CampErin@pennmedicine.upenn.edu.