“I’m Sorry for Your Loss”
ISN’T CUTTING IT ANYMORE
Talk About Grief
89% of Americans agree that everyone should learn to talk about grief.
But 70% of Americans say they don’t know what to say or do when someone is grieving.*
Let’s turn this around.
One in five children in the U.S. is experiencing the death of someone close to them. When it comes to grief, most people want to show up for these kids; we just don’t know how to go about it.
We tend to say “I’m sorry for your loss” (as we were taught). Unfortunately, kids tell us this phrase feels dismissive and often makes them feel lonelier. So let’s learn from each other how to truly show up for them and each other, and commit to doing so.
Here’s what kids told us:
What you can do right now:
LEARN
- Read “Why we need to talk about grief,” a concise guide developed by Experience Camps’ clinicians.
- Find out biggest myths of grief and what we should say and not say to people who are grieving.
- Watch our #GoBeyondImSorry YouTube series in which kids and adults share meaningful actions someone did for them while they were grieving.
Inspired? Time to act!
ACT
- Post about our campaign on your social media to spread the word; we created a post (below) to make it easy.
- Upload a 30- to 60-second video about a thoughtful action someone did for you while grieving, or even that you heard someone else do. By sharing, you become part of the solution. Instructions are here for uploading a video.
- Choose a favorite action from the YouTube series and try it for someone grieving in your life.
GIVE
Donate to support grieving children.
Experience Camps is a nonprofit that champions the nation’s 5.3 million bereaved children and runs a network of no-cost camps that help grieving children thrive.
Our resources are informed by nearly 500,000 hours with grieving children and our team of 40+ clinical experts including Brie Overton, Chief Clinical Officer at Experience Camps for Grieving Children and licensed clinical psychologist at Wolfson Therapy Daniel Wolfson, PsyD. Thanks to everyone who has been sharing their videos (below) including our Youth Advisory Board and celebrities like actresses Yael Grobglas and Shelly Bhalla (“Jane the Virgin”), actress and filmmaker Lynn Chen (“Saving Face”), and radio morning personality Pebbles from The GetUp Crew on Boston Hot 96.9.
Watch our #GoBeyondImSorry YouTube Series
Kids and adults share favorite actions that people did for them while they were grieving, or that they did for someone else. Find out which simple acts most inspire you, and then do them for people in your life who are grieving.
Will you spread the word on your social media? Feel free to copy/paste:
1. One in five children are grieving the death of someone close to them; it’s time we learn how to truly support them and one another. After someone dies, saying, “I’m sorry for your loss,” is a first step, but many people don’t know what next step to do. In honor of National Childhood Grief Awareness Day on Nov. 18th, @ExperienceCamps is running a campaign through November called #GoBeyondImSorry. Learn more and find out how you can help at www.talkaboutgrief.org
-OR-
[If you love a particular YouTube video from the series…]
2. I’m excited to share this YouTube series that @ExperienceCamps created in honor of National Childhood Grief Awareness Day in November. Kids and adults are sharing one simple and meaningful action that someone did for them while they were grieving (or that they did for someone). The idea is that we can all teach other how to go beyond saying “sorry for your loss” and truly show up for each other! Learn more at talkaboutgrief.org and then add your own video to the growing collection.
-OR-
[If you created a YouTube video and want to share…]
3. Sharing a video I made for a YouTube series that @ExperienceCamps created in honor of National Childhood Grief Awareness Day in November. Kids and adults are sharing one simple and meaningful action that someone did for them while they were grieving (or that they did for someone). The idea is that we can all teach other how to go beyond saying “sorry for your loss” and truly show up for each other! Learn more and add your own video to the growing collection at talkaboutgrief.org.
* Source: Experience Camps survey of over 2,000 U.S. adults conducted on their behalf by The Harris Poll.