Northeast Regional Military Survivor Seminar and Good Grief Camp

Health Guidelines for the Seminar: To stay as safe as possible, TAPS has made the difficult decision to require all attendees ages 5 and above to show proof of full vaccination according to CDC guidelines. For those who are not vaccinated, we welcome you to join us for our online seminar.

CHILD CARE

Children under the age of five-years old will be cared for and loved throughout the seminar by trained professional, licensed and insured caregivers. A designated suite will be assigned and set up with age-appropriate toys, games and arts and crafts. Infants, toddlers and preschoolers will have lunch on Saturday inside their room, along with healthy snacks all weekend. Individual schedules will be honored for each child, including nursing infants. 

If you need further information, please email childcare@taps.org.

VOLUNTEER AS A LEGACY OR MILITARY MENTOR

TAPS invites those active duty military, veterans, and military survivors who have graduated from Good Grief Camp (Legacy mentors) to register as a volunteer mentor for the Good Grief Camp. Visit the Legacy or Military Mentor Volunteer at the Northeast Regional Military Good Grief Camp page for details.

Getting Connected to the Seminar

The TAPS Events app puts the program right in the palm of your hand. Leading up to the seminar weekend, you can connect with fellow survivors and TAPS staff, review the scheduled program, read about featured speakers, and access additional content that will support you wherever you are in your grief journey.

For those attending virtually, you will access the Zoom sessions by logging into the TAPS Events app on either your desktop computer or mobile device.

• Mobile App Login

SCHEDULE AND SESSIONS

7:00 p.m. — Pre-event What to Expect, Your Seminar Questions Answered
Attending in person? Please join us for a pre-event Zoom meeting to talk about what to expect at a regional seminar. We will also review safety and health standards that will be in place for ourn Southeast Regional Seminar. We will discuss hotel check-in, registration, meals, mask requirements and many other details that have been taken care of for us to gather safely in-person. Access to the Zoom meeting will be through the TAPS App.

• 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. - Childcare (dinner served)

• 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. - Family and Mentor Check-In

• 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. - Hotel Check-In Assistance

• 5:00 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. - Family Dinner

• 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. - Good Grief Camp Zone (Ages 5-18)

• 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. - First Time Attendee and Peer Mentor Gatherings

• 7:15 p.m. to 8:15 p.m.

  Dessert Sharing Sessions for the following groups: Accident Loss Survivors, Combat Loss Survivors, Illness Loss Survivors, Suicide Loss Survivors and Parents with Children in Good Grief Camp

  Share groups offer an opportunity to share your own story, experiences, and feelings while listening to others who have a similar story and relationship with their service member. They're structured by relationship, circumstance, or sometimes both. TAPS offers a wide range of groups with something for every survivor.

  Please review: Share Group Guidelines for Participants

• 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. - Young Adults Meet-up (Adult children and siblings ages 18 to 30)

• 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. - Childcare (breakfast, lunch and dinner served in room)

• 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. - Family Breakfast

• 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. - Family Check-In

• 8:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. - Good Grief Camp

• 9:00 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. - Opening Session with Bonnie Carroll

• 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. - Workshops and Sessions

  Coping when Memories Hurt  – Audri Beugelsdijk
  We don't ever want to forget our loved ones and memories can bring both joy and pain. Sometimes we push memories away because we can't experience them without an upwelling of emotion that is difficult to cope with. We will explore new coping techniques, including how linking positive memories with negative experiences can help us navigate our grief and remember even when it hurts. This session will be offered virtually.

  Is My Loss Traumatic  – Dr. Frank Campbell
  Traumatic grief has characteristics different from the more traditional grief associated with death. Dr. Frank Campbell will describe elements that stand out when experiencing traumatic grief that compromise the activities of daily living and impact sleep, physical health and overall well-being. When assumed to be characteristics of "normal" grief many find processing their loss overwhelming resulting in a more difficult grief journey. Participants attending are encouraged to ask questions or share personal experiences they are coping with to gain insights and practical solutions that have helped others cope more effectively. This session will not be live streamed.

  Grief 101 / Your Experience and What to Expect (or Not Expect)   – Dr. Pamela Gabbay
  A devastating loss causes us to question everything we thought that we knew about life. It can make us feel as though we've lost our entire world and our identity. Everyone's grief path is different, but there are some emotions that are experienced by many. These include feeling heartbroken, feelings of intense anger, deep sadness, guilt, disbelief, loneliness, and worry. Grief is impacted by countless things, including the circumstances surrounding the loss and the relationship with the person who died. Grief is also impacted by whether the death was sudden or unexpected. This workshop will cover what to expect (and not expect) when you're grieving, while honoring the uniqueness of each person's story and experience. We will also discuss coping and caring for yourself while caring for others. This session will be offered virtually.

  Goals, Grief and How Things Change (Young Adults ages 18-30) – Renee Monczynski
  Often we find ourselves setting big goals that match our beautiful, broad, imaginative dreams. In this session, we will learn how to set realistic goals, to give ourselves credit for the small wins, to reset after lessons learned, and to achieve those wonderful dreams in realistic expectations. This session will not be live streamed.

• 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.

  Lunch and Sharing Sessions for the following groups: Surviving Spouses, Fiances and Significant Others; Surviving Parents and Grandparents; Surviving Siblings and Adult Children; and Surviving Friends, Battle Buddies and Extended Family

  Share groups offer an opportunity to share your own story, experiences, and feelings while listening to others who have a similar story and relationship with their service member. They're structured by relationship, circumstance, or sometimes both. TAPS offers a wide range of groups with something for every survivor.

  Please review: Share Group Guidelines for Participants

• 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. - Workshops and Sessions

  Calming the Storm Coping with Anger – Audri Beugelsdijk
  Grief brings out a whole host of emotions. Sometimes they almost seem to be coming simultaneously, while other times they can feel so cyclical that it leaves us feeling exhausted. One of the most difficult emotions to cope with is anger. This session will be a safe space to explore the experience of anger in our grief while developing some specific tools we can use to reframe and manage this and other difficult emotions. This session will be offered virtually.

  How to Grieve Like a Man (Men Only)  – Dr. Frank Campbell
  In this interactive workshop, we will discuss the ways men may reveal their grief and share our experiences. Our goal will be understanding and insight, not changing the way others grieve. This is an ideal workshop for men in attendance who may be dating a survivor, as well as for men who are actively grieving the loss of a loved one. This session will not be live streamed.

  Please Say Their Name: The Importance of Honoring & Remembering  - Dr. Pamela Gabbay
  Honoring and remembering our loved ones is an important and crucial part of helping us to cope with our grief. In fact, one of the things that we wish that others knew about our grief is how meaningful it is to be able to say their name and to be able to share our stories and memories of them. What are some of the ways that you honor and remember the person in your life who died? This interactive session will allow plenty of time for discussion and sharing. This session will be offered virtually.

  Let’s Talk Grief (Young Adults ages 18-30) – Renee Monczynski
  Often we find ourselves setting big goals that match our beautiful, broad, imaginative dreams. In this session, we will learn how to set realistic goals, to give ourselves credit for the small wins, to reset after lessons learned, and to achieve those wonderful dreams in realistic expectations. This session will not be live streamed.

• 3:15 p.m. - 4:45 p.m. - Workshops and Sessions

  Managing Guilt and Regret after Loss - Andy McNiel
  It is common for many of us to struggle with feelings of guilt and regret after a person in our life dies. We may feel a sense of responsibility for circumstances leading up to a person's death. We might regret missed opportunities as we think back on our relationship with our person. Whatever it is that might influence these feelings, both guilt and regret can be difficult emotions to navigate. This interactive session will take a closer look at guilt and regret and offer ideas for managing the impact they have on our lives after loss. This session will be offered virtually.

  Helping Your Teen Cope with Grief and Loss – Dr. Pamela Gabbay
  Teenagers struggle with many emotions after the death of someone in their lives. Parents and caregivers want to do everything they can to help, but are not always sure about the best ways to support their teens. This presentation will cover practical ways that you can support your teen after the death of someone close. Topics that will be included in this workshop are: how to discuss grief and loss with teenagers, common grief reactions, coping with grief and loss, and helpful ways to engage grieving teens. This session will be offered virtually.

  What to Say, Sharing Your Story - Dr. Frank Campbell
  For many who are on a grief journey, finding their voice and discussing their loss is a major hurdle. This workshop is designed for you to ask questions. This time is set aside to offer a safe place to discuss the challenges in the way you are grieving and the struggles that arise such as when others suggest how you should grieve. We can discuss specifics and give support to each other as we learn how to find our voice. This session will not be live streamed.

  Managing Stress While Grieving (Young Adults ages 18-30) – Renee Monczynski
  What is unmentionable becomes unmanageable, so let's talk about the stress that comes with grief. We will discuss the different triggers of stress after loss, how we appraise stress, and introduce constructive coping skills to help guide you on this journey. This session will not be live streamed.

• 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. - Family Dinner

• 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. - Young Adult Social (Adult Child and Siblings ages 18-30)

• 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. - Childcare (breakfast and lunch served in room)

• 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. - Family Breakfast

• 7:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. - Peer Mentor Training

• 8:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. - Good Grief Camp

• 9:00 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. - Workshops and Sessions

  Spirituality and Grief: A Conversation about Faith and Belief after Loss – Andy McNeil
  Faith, belief, and spirituality play a vital role in the lives of many of us after someone in our life dies. Many of us find strength through our faith as we journey through grief. While others of us may find faith to be difficult in the aftermath of loss. Spirituality can have complicated ebbs and flows as we navigate the many challenges that grief brings to our lives. Join us for this interactive session on spirituality and grief. We will discuss how our faith has brought us strength, how our faith may have been challenged by loss, and ways our grief may have impacted deeply held beliefs. This session will not be live streamed.

  God Winks  – Bonnie Carroll
  Some people call them “God Winks,” some call them signs, messages or after-death communication. No matter what we call them, signs from our loved ones can be very present in our lives. Stories and experiences of the presence of our loved ones will be discussed in this open-minded and intimate sharing session. This session will not be live streamed.

  Why Can't We All Just Get Along? – Dr. Frank Campbell
  Family dynamics after loss can be difficult to navigate. This presentation will examine the conflicts that arise within a family system when grief changes the dynamics. Survivors attending will have an opportunity to share struggles they have experienced to determine what support might be available or ways they can change the dynamics. This session will not be live streamed.

  Build Your Ladder (Young Adults ages 18-30) – Renee Monczynski
  In this interactive session, we will discuss tangible tactics for you to utilize during those days that leave you feeling the world is dark and you are alone. We will discuss skills for you to build your own ladder, with each step being a skill in your self-care plan that allows you to handle the tough days and know you are not alone, brighter days are ahead. This session will not be live streamed.

• 10:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. - Workshops and Sessions

  God Winks  – Bonnie Carroll
  Some people call them “God Winks,” some call them signs, messages or after-death communication. No matter what we call them, signs from our loved ones can be very present in our lives. Stories and experiences of the presence of our loved ones will be discussed in this open-minded and intimate sharing session. This session will not be live streamed.

  Metaphors for Healing – Dr. Frank Campbell
  This workshop will focus on the benefits of developing accurate metaphors to describe your feelings of loss. This approach to communication when grieving has proven helpful for getting support that is helpful from those who want to be able to provide support and have not had a loss comparable to your loss. This approach allows a different response to "how are you?" than the assumed "I am fine" phrase many see as an expectation by society. This session will not be live streamed.

  What’s in the Box? (Young Adults ages 18-30) - Renee Monczynski
  This is an interactive session for open conversation about life, loss and all things in between. Through peer connection we will discuss anything and everything that is put in the "ask anything" box over the course of the seminar weekend. This session will not be live streamed.

• 12:00 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. - Closing Session with Bonnie Carroll and Dr. Frank Campbell

• 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. - Family Lunch

SEMINAR FEES

There are no registration fees for our regional seminars. Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, TAPS provides lodging, all meals, materials, activities and T-shirts at no cost to you.

LODGING AND TRANSPORTATION

Lodging is provided at the Hershey Lodge for those traveling more than 30 minutes to the event. Please request your lodging in your registration form and specify how many nights you’ll be staying. TAPS covers the cost of the lodging for Friday and Saturday nights and will book your hotel room for you.

You'll need to cover the cost of your transportation to and from the seminar. 

If you have questions about lodging, please email lodging@taps.org or call 800-959-TAPS (8277).

REGISTRATION DETAILS

In-Person and Virtual Registrations are open until January 29, 2022 (look for the blue button at the top of the page). You'll receive a confirmation email once you have submitted your registration. Please email seminarregistrations@taps.org if you do not receive a confirmation email after registering.