Dear Friends,

March ushers a burst of color and life to the Central Valley, with blooming orchards, sunshine, and longer days.

In this month's newsletter, we embrace Healing Through Art. During our March groups, children and families nurtured coping skills and expression with the Grief Ribbons art invitation, as they reflected on what they remember, wish, and hope. The activity Layers of Grief explored where grief lives in their body and identified how the energy of their grief might be expressed.

We know resilience comes through support and expression. What a gift to offer a space where the grief stories of children and families are held by dedicated volunteers and staff who are there to connect and support their healing.

As Easter and Passover approach, and our valley comes to life, I wish you growth and renewal.

With heartfelt thanks always, 

Erin Nelson

Executive Director, Jessica's House

Art serves as a healing tool for children who are grieving. Expressive activities offer children and families a safe space to explore, process, and release their emotions. Through creative expression, children externalize their experience with death, conveying what words alone cannot express.

Expressing through art invites children to gain a sense of control and empowerment as they choose their creative expression. Expressive arts also provide a therapeutic space for understanding and healing, calming young bodies and minds.

Art tangibly represents a child's inner world, helping volunteers and staff support their healing in groups at Jessica's House.

Events and Highlights

Dr. Alan Wolfelt "The Art of Companioning

The Mourner: Caring vs Curing"

Our team deepened our grief skills as we learned from leading author and death educator, Dr. Alan Wolfelt, in Sacramento this past February.

Heart Circle Open House Event

We were delighted to welcome our donor community to our Heart Circle Open House in February! A heartfelt thank you to everyone who attended. Special gratitude goes to our Youth Ambassador, Riley, for sharing her remarkable and inspiring story with us.

To learn more about joining our dedicated community of donors visit: https://www.jessicashouse.org/heart-circle.

Art Activity: My Grief Ribbons

Materials: Various colors of medium-width ribbon or strips of construction paper, fabric markers, c-ring, and a hole punch.

Choose ribbon/construction paper colors that remind you of the person who died. Use the following prompts to write on your ribbons:

o   “I miss…”

o   “I remember when…”

o   “I wish you were here for…”

o   “I hope…”

o   “I want you to know…”

On additional ribbons/construction paper, using your favorite colors, write down coping skills such as who you can talk to or what helps you to feel safe.

o   “I can talk to…”

o   “What helps is…”

o   “I feel safe when…”

When you are done with your ribbons/construction paper, punch the pointed end of the c-ring into the ends of each ribbon, and place them in the c-ring.

Art Activity: Layers of Grief

Grief comes in many layers. Just as you wear multiple layers of clothing to keep yourself comfortable when it's cold outside, you can provide yourself with layers of support as you grieve. 

Materials: Skinny markers, colored pencils, cardstock body outline, two vellum papers and a stapler.

Body Outline - Layer 1

1. Print out the Layers of Grief body template, available at the link below. Staple the two vellum papers on top of the outline.
2. Inside the cardstock body outline, write or draw how you experience grief, your emotions, and your thoughts.
3. Around the cardstock body outline, write any unhelpful words people have said to you, or what makes you feel worse. (ex. being alone, people not understanding, etc.)

Vellum Paper - Layer 2

1.       Flip the middle layer of vellum paper back to cover the cardstock body outline.

2.      Around the outline, write what others do that is helpful. 

Vellum Paper - Layer 3

1. Flip the top layer of vellum paper to cover both the cardstock body outline and the middle layer of the vellum paper.
2. Around the outline, write what you can surround yourself with to help you through the toughest moments of grief.

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