Grief changes a family. It can feel isolating, confusing and heavy, especially for kids who don’t have the words for what they’re carrying. Dustin’s Place exists to give children, teens and adults a place to show up, be understood and keep going without having to do it alone. Our support is free, grounded in peer connection and built around one simple idea: we don’t tell people how to grieve. We create space for it.
Grief doesn’t wrap up in six weeks. For a lot of families, it’s months of “firsts” and moments that hit out of nowhere. Our always-free support groups are built to give kids and caregivers a steady place to land and return, with people who understand and a structure that helps.
Adult and child groups run at the same time allowing the entire family to receive individual grief support at the same time as each other.
Family Nights meet on the 2nd and 4th Monday of each month. These groups are ongoing, with many families staying connected for 18 months to two years on average. Adult and child groups run at the same time allowing the entire family to receive individual grief support at the same time as each other. Children’s groups include: Littles: 4-6 yr old, Mids: 7-9 yr old, Tweens: 10-13 yr old and Teens: 14-18 yr old. Adult Groups offer conversations specifically designed for grief related to the relationship that was lost and the type of death.
Dustin’s Place South Bend offers free Family Grief Nights for children and adults who have experienced the death of a loved one. Held on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month from 5:30–6:30 pm at OneRoof Southeast Neighborhood Center, these gatherings provide a welcoming space for families to receive support, share in age-appropriate activities and connect with others who understand grief. Families may simply show up or call ahead to register.
Alumni Night meets on the 3rd Monday of each month. It’s designed for families who have completed Family Nights and want something less intensive — one night a month — while still staying connected to grief expression, community and support.
Daytime Adult Group meets the 2nd and 4th Wednesday at 10 a.m.
Our school groups follow a 10-week program, meeting for 10 consecutive weeks. It’s structured, supportive and created specifically for students processing loss.
Support group registration happens over the phone, not through the calendar or an online sign-up. That gives you a real person to talk to and helps us connect you to the right group from the start.
Group support is powerful, and sometimes a person needs room to process things that don’t come out in a group setting. One-on-one counseling is an added layer of care for families already connected to Dustin’s Place.
One-on-one counseling is available to registered Dustin’s Place families. It isn’t a stand-alone service. It’s meant to support individuals who need extra time, privacy or focus alongside the group support they’re already receiving.
One-on-one counseling typically includes 6–8 sessions, depending on what the person needs. Some people begin individual sessions before joining a group. Some do both at the same time. Some use it as they’re wrapping up a group season
It gives kids space to be around other kids who “get it,” not because they were told about grief, but because they’ve lived it too. It’s a weekend built around connection, fun and gentle opportunities to process what’s hard, at a pace that feels safe.
Dougy Center offers a wide range of resources for people of all ages who are grieving before and after a death. Find help you can access anytime.
The National Alliance for Children’s Grief promotes awareness of the needs of children and teens grieving a death and provides education and resources for anyone who wants to support them.
