May 2026

Announcing Dougy Center's newest online grief education course, "Grief as a Mental Disorder: A Critical Assessment"

Grief is a natural human experience, however, there is a growing trend to pathologize grief and describe certain grief responses as "abnormal."

Dougy Center's newest online grief education course, Grief as a Mental Disorder: A Critical Assessment, is designed for people who want to understand the historical evolution of how society views grief and the key factors that have influenced the diagnostic model, which sometimes conceptualizes grief as a mental disorder.

This course aims to provide learners with a critical perspective on these issues, empowering you to better understand the controversy and to support people who are grieving.

This self-paced course can be accessed anytime (24 hours a day, 7 days a week) and completed in your own timeframe. Find more information on this course, as well as many others offered by Dougy Center here.

Join us for the 2026 International Summer Institute

Spots are limited and filling quickly

Are you interested in supporting children and teens through peer grief support groups? Dougy Center's International Summer Institute is your opportunity to learn the basics about The Dougy Center Model™, the world-renowned peer grief support model for children, teens, and their families.

Join us in Portland, Oregon from July 20 to 24 where you’ll be joined by dynamic colleagues from across the United States and beyond who plan to implement The Dougy Center Model™ in their community. Find details and register here.

Congratulations to the 2026 International Summer Institute Scholarship Recipients! In partnership with the New York Life Foundation, each year Dougy Center awards four International Summer Institute participants with a scholarship for free tuition. This year's scholarship recipients include: Mikayla Amsden, Greenacres, WA; Marie Calle, Clifton, VA; Jocelyn Durant, Hood River, OR; and Melissa Murphy, Las Cruces, NM.

Free webinar on Children's Grief Awareness Day focuses on how lived experience shapes the way we support children who are grieving

In recognition of Children’s Grief Awareness Day, November 19, Dougy Center is offering a virtual panel discussion, "The Child We Once Were: How lived experience shapes the way we support kids who are grieving." Featuring professionals who experienced the death of someone significant during their own childhood, panelists will reflect on what they needed from the adults around them, what was helpful, and what they wish had been different.

Through lived experience and professional insight, the conversation will explore how childhood grief shapes the way we support children and families who are grieving today. Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of how small, intentional actions can make a meaningful difference in a child’s grief journey.

This webinar is free to attend with your registration. Learn more and register here.

Upcoming Grief Education Webinars focus on topics related to support for children, teens, and families

Becoming Grief-Informed: Foundations of Grief Education

June 25, 2026

10 - 11:30 a.m., PDT

presented by Cristina Chipriano, L.C.S.W., F.T.

Being grief-informed sets the foundation for understanding and responding to the needs of people who are grieving the death of someone in their lives. Misassumptions lead to misunderstanding and mistreatment. Tune in for more information on this important topic, including the ten core principles of grief-informed practice.

Grief in the Shadows: Supporting Children and Teens After a Stigmatized Death

September 24, 2026

10 - 11:30 a.m., PDT

presented by Cristina Chipriano, L.C.S.W., F.T.

While any type of death can leave families feeling isolated, some are met with more shame and stigma than others. Deaths from suicide, homicide, substance use, or certain illnesses may evoke disapproval or blame toward the person for how they died, distracting from who they were and how they lived. This webinar explores the unique challenges faced by children and teens who are grieving a stigmatized death.

Navigating Grief During the Holidays

October 22, 2026

10 - 11:30 a.m., PDT

presented by Jana DeCristofaro, L.C.S.W.

The end of year holidays can be especially challenging for children, teens, and families who are grieving. In this webinar, we’ll explore various considerations during the holiday season for families who are grieving (e.g., expectations, pressures, rituals) and helpful ways to support families this holiday season.

Find the complete 2026 schedule and registration information at dougy.org/webinars.

Training Highlights

National Presentations

Becoming Grief-Informed: Foundations of Grief Education, a Dougy Center grief education webinar, was presented by Cristina Chipriano on Thursday, February 19, 2026.
Jana DeCristofaro presented a training about Supporting Students Who are Grieving for North Clackamas School District on February 23, 2026.
Dr. Donna Schuurman presented a virtual training for Shomer Collective, Understanding and Supporting Children, Teens, Young Adults and Their Parents/Adult Caregivers When Someone has Died, on February 25, 2026.
Dr. Donna Schuurman and Dr. Monique Mitchell presented a workshop at the Association for Death Education and Counseling’s 50th Annual Conference in Baltimore, MD, How Grief Became a Mental Disorder: Concerns and Consequences, on March 4, 2026.
Jana DeCristofaro did a virtual presentation for George Fox University, About Dougy Center & Supporting Children & Teens Who Are Grieving, on March 5, 2026.
Dr. Donna Schuurman was a keynote speaker for the annual Good Grief Institute in Morrison, New Jersey on Lessons from the Little Chairs (and Big Ones Too): What 35 Years of Listening to Grieving Families has Taught Us, on March 14, 2026.
More Storied than Storybook, Grief and Complex Relationships, a Dougy Center grief education webinar, was presented by Jana DeCristofaro on Thursday, March 19, 2026.
Alysha Lacey and Cristina Chipriano did a three-day training for the staff at Nā Keiki O Emalia in Kahului, HI on March 20-22, 2026.
Alysha Lacey presented Making Room for Grief: Supporting Youth Through Diverse Forms of Loss for the Oregon Center for Excellence on April 9, 2026.
Context Matters: Navigating Grief Through an Intersectional Lens, a Dougy Center grief education webinar, was presented by Cristina Chipriano on Thursday, April 9, 2026.

We are grateful to have had the opportunity to connect with the staff of Nā Keiki O Emalia in Maui, Hawaii last March and provide a three-day training on facilitating peer grief support groups using The Dougy Center Model. It was wonderful to help support the beautiful work they do for their community.

Dr. Donna Schuurman, Dougy Center's Senior Director of Advocacy & Education and Executive Director Emeritus, presented the keynote address, Lessons from the Little Chairs (and Big Ones Too): What 35 Years of Listening to Grieving Families has Taught Us at the annual Good Grief Institute in Morrison, New Jersey.

We love to hear from you!

We’re grateful to have started 2026 with a series of successful webinars. Here’s what a few of our attendees had to say about their experiences:

“I always look forward to your trainings. I know that I will leave with new perspectives and helpful resources.”

“This is the best training I’ve had in a LONG time.”

“This is my second time with a version of this presentation. I find it incredibly informative and insightful. I'm sure I could continue to learn from it if I heard it several more times. It informs the lens with which I look at and lead my personal life, as well as volunteering at Dougy Center”

About Dougy Center

Grief education is an important component of Dougy Center's mission, reaching more than 10,000 people each year from the United States and around the world. Our education and training opportunities are available to anyone supporting children and families who are grieving.

Find more here.