Northeast Regional Military Survivor Seminar and Good Grief Camp

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Buffalo, New York
Registration Open from January 2, 2025 to July 12, 2025
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Military Survivors at a TAPS Seminar


For Adults: TAPS Seminars

TAPS Seminars are created with your needs in mind. Our comprehensive model of care brings together adult survivors of all ages for a weekend of hope and healing. Whether you recently lost your hero, have lived many years without them, or are somewhere in between, this TAPS Seminar is designed to meet you where you are in your grief journey.

By bringing together peer professionals, subject matter experts, mental health clinicians, and TAPS Peer Mentors and volunteers, we will come alongside you to walk the journey together.  

Our TAPS Seminar faculty members are leaders in the field of grief and loss, suicide, traumatic loss, and bereavement and will facilitate a rich learning environment to help you gain coping skills and tools to continue your loved one’s legacy. The seminar sessions and programming follow a dynamic curriculum based on the needs of mourning set forth in academia.

 

TAPS youth


For Youth: TAPS Good Grief Camp

The TAPS Good Grief Camp is a program for children who have lost a loved one who served in the armed forces (see attendance eligibility criteria). Good Grief Camp provides a safe space for military children to explore grief and embrace healing.

TAPS Good Grief Camp is led by experts in the fields of child development, mental health, and education. Programming throughout the weekend mirrors the adult curriculum and provides families with a common language crucial to strengthening family bonds. Children and teens will honor their loved one, connect with their peers, and learn coping skills through games, crafts, and other age-appropriate activities in a fun and supportive environment.

Children and teens will find comfort in knowing there are other kids their age who understand their loss and develop coping skills they can use once they leave Good Grief Camp.

CHILD CARE

Child care is provided for children under the age of five-years old, five-years old but not yet attending kindergarten, and children 10-years and younger who are not eligible for Good Grief Camp. These children will be cared for and loved throughout the seminar by trained professional, licensed, and insured caregivers. A designated suite will be available and set up with age-appropriate toys, games, and arts and crafts. Children 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.

 

Legacy Mentor and child


Volunteer as a Legacy or Military Mentor

TAPS invites current military service members, veterans, and adult survivors who have previously attended Good Grief Camp (Legacy Mentors) to register as volunteer Good Grief Camp mentors. Visit the Legacy or Military Mentor Volunteer page for details.

 

Military Survivor and TAPS Peer Mentor


Become a Peer Mentor

During the seminar, TAPS will be conducting a Peer Mentor training session for adult military survivors who are at least 18 months beyond their own loss and are ready to be there for other adult survivors to offer support.  As a Peer Mentor, you can choose to support your peers through a variety of activities, including seminars, retreats, TAPS Togethers, Care Group hosting, Online Community support, and one-to-one mentoring. You will learn more about grief and trauma, learn to identify risks and warning signs for suicide, gain basic helping skills, and become part of our nationwide TAPS Peer Mentor Team.

If you're interested in attending the in-person Peer Mentor training at the seminar, you can sign up as part of the seminar registration.

For more information, email peermentors@taps.org.

 

SCHEDULE AND SESSIONS


Monday, July 7

7:00 p.m. — Pre-event What to Expect, Your Seminar Questions Answered
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 our Regional Seminar. 


Friday, July 11

Our day starts at 3:00 p.m. with family registration and check-in. The evening schedule features dinner, dessert sharing sessions for adults, Good Grief Camp for children, and a Peer Mentor Gathering. 


Saturday, July 12

Enjoy our family breakfast followed by the opening session. We have a variety of sessions you can choose from throughout the day. Lunch will be provided with your peers and then end your day by coming together for a relaxing TAPS family dinner. Good Grief Camp for children is open for the duration of the seminar.


Sunday, July 13

After our family breakfast, once again choose from a variety of sessions followed by a closing session and a TAPS family lunch before heading home.

 

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 offered at the Hyatt Regency for those traveling more than 30 miles to the event if you are either a first-time attendee to a TAPS Military Survivor Seminar or are registered to attend the Peer Mentor Training offered at the seminar. 

Those eligible for lodging, TAPS will book and cover the cost on Friday and Saturday nights. Please specify in your registration that lodging is needed and how many nights you’ll be staying. 

All other returning attendees will be offered a discounted group rate at the Hyatt Regency. After registering, we will notify you if you are paying your own lodging cost and a booking link will be sent a few months prior to arrival. 

All attendees will need to cover the cost of transportation to and from the seminar as well as any parking fees. 

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

 

REGISTRATION DETAILS

Registration is open until July 12, 2025 (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.