Highmark Caring Place

📢 Call for Proposals! The Highmark Caring Place invites you to submit a workshop for our 2027 Virtual Grief Talks Conference: Building Grief-Informed Communities: From Awareness to Action.
We're looking for engaging, practical, and replicable strategies to address grief in various settings like schools, workplaces, and faith communities. Share your innovative approaches!

Conference Date: Wednesday, February 24, 2027
Audience: Grief professionals, educators, counselors, social workers, and community members.
Proposal Deadline: July 26, 2026, at 11:59 PM.

Don't miss this opportunity to contribute to a grief-informed community! Learn more and submit your proposal here: bit.ly/grieftalksconferenceRFP2027

Wishing a happy end of the school year and a safe, healthy summer to all our wonderful school partners! We are so honored to have partnered with over 1,000 schools this past school year through our Caring Team for Students program. This year also marked a significant milestone with our 600th in-school grief peer support group!

A huge thank you to all our amazing school partners who make this work possible. Your dedication helps us support so many students navigating grief. Happy Summer! ☀️

If your school district is interested in learning more or getting involved in our Caring Team for Grieving Students program, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected]. We'd love to connect!

As Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month wraps up, we reflect on the incredible diversity within our community. We were so honored to have Linda Thai as our keynote speaker at the 2024 Grief Talks Conference!
Linda presented "Grief Interrupted: Creating Space for All Experiences of Loss," a truly powerful exploration of how some individuals and communities aren't always afforded the space to grieve in the way they need or want to. This message deeply resonates with our mission at the Highmark Caring Place.
A trauma therapist specializing in brain- and body-based modalities for healing complex developmental trauma, Linda's own journey as a former child refugee from Vietnam, raised in Australia and now living in Alaska, uniquely informs her work. She's redefining what it means to be Vietnamese, Australian, United States-ian, and what it means to be wounded, whole, and a healer. Her passion for breaking the cycle of historical and intergenerational trauma is truly inspiring.
If you missed it, or want to experience it again, you can watch her inspiring keynote here: https://youtu.be/JwWS0neaqOY

What an incredibly special Family Night we had at the Caring Place Warrendale site! ❤️ We were so honored to welcome author Laurie Cowin, a true inspiration and one of our own Caring Place families.

Following the passing of her husband, Laurie bravely navigated her grief journey alongside her two young sons. It was through this experience that she found the powerful inspiration to write her book, The Grief Monster. Laurie read her story to our families, sharing how even the biggest feelings can change and become less scary.

All the kids got to unleash their creativity and make their very own "grief monsters"! It was wonderful to see their imaginations at work and process big emotions in such a creative way!

A huge THANK YOU to Laurie for sharing her story, her wisdom, and her incredible book with us!

On Memorial Day, we pause to honor and remember the brave American military personnel who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving in our Armed Forces. We are profoundly grateful for their courage and their lives.

For many, this time of year can also bring a mix of emotions. The start of summer can amplify feelings of grief, making celebrations feel distant or even painful. At the Highmark Caring Place, we understand that grief doesn't take a holiday. If you're navigating loss this Memorial Day, whether it's related to military service or another loss, please know that it's okay to feel whatever you're feeling. We are thinking of everyone who is grieving during this time.

The Highmark Caring Place offers free, compassionate grief support services to children, teens, young adults, and families. You are not alone.
Learn more about how we support grieving families: www.highmarkcaringplace.com

We had a very special guest from a galaxy far, far away at our Warrendale site! Stormtrooper TK-31718 took a detour from the Empire to join our support group bringing lots of smiles and even showing off some impressive moves on the bubble hockey table.

Thank you, TK-31718, for bringing so much joy and light-speed fun to our Highmark Caring Place family. May the Force be with you! ✨

What an incredible weekend with an amazing group of young adults at our Journey to Hope grief retreat at Bongiorno Conference Center in Carlisle, PA. 💙🦋 Lots of heartfelt sharing of memories, being vulnerable with emotions, and experiencing the power of peer support. So much care, compassion, and comfort in being with others who are missing their loved ones. We are inspired by each young adult who embarked on this journey with us.❤️

At the Highmark Caring Place, we know that navigating grief as a young adult can be incredibly challenging. If you are a young adult (ages 18-35) grieving a loss, or know someone who is, our virtual Journey to HOPE group is here for you.

Learn more and find support: bit.ly/YASupportGroup Please share this post with anyone who might benefit from this community!

⏰ FINAL HOURS! ⏰ This is it! Tonight is your absolute last chance to bid in the Highmark Caring Place Light of Hope Auction! Don't miss out on those amazing items – the auction closes TONIGHT at 8:00 PM (ET)! Every bid supports grieving children & families, and Highmark Inc. is matching your contribution, doubling your impact! BID NOW before it's too late: bit.ly/lightofhopeauction