Virtual Military Survivor Seminar and Family Program

While we are all facing these unexpected adjustments to our daily lives, one constant remains — the love and support of your TAPS family. That is why we’re bringing our seminar right to you. We have a variety of dynamic sessions available online throughout the weekend at no cost, with all of the resources, care and love we can offer, coming to you in the comfort of your home. 

Our session presenters are leading experts in the field of grief and loss, and you will have the opportunity to gain tools and resources for your grief journey. We will have an exciting program of virtual workshops, care groups, and family programming.

Session Descriptions and Schedules

Friday, June 12, 2020

Share Groups open from 4:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. as per the schedule and audience listed below.  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

• 4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Eastern

  Older Teens and Young Adults

• 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Eastern

  Parents | Siblings and Adult Children | All Losses | Spouses, Ex-Spouses, Fiances, Significant Others

• 8:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. Eastern

  Suicide Loss | Illness Loss | Accident Loss

Saturday, June 13

• 12:00 p.m. – 12:45 p.m. Eastern

  TAPS Kids Connect - Megan Lopez
  We are happy to provide a welcoming place for TAPS kids during the Virtual Family Program! In our virtual gatherings for our TAPS children and teens, we will meet our TAPS community, will have fun while interacting through games and icebreakers, and will explore what virtual Good Grief Camp activities look like during this time. This session will be hosted and facilitated by trained Group Leaders, Mentors and Staff.

  Guidelines for participation:
  • Please know we will not be performing grief work during these virtual youth sessions, this is chance for TAPS kids to connect
  • To maintain confidentiality, participants will not share with others what is said within the Sharing Session
  • Confidentiality is paramount, therefore, these sessions will not be recorded and screenshots and photos of the Sharing Sessions are prohibited
  • Additionally, these Sharing Sessions will not be posted on social media or the TAPS website
  • Sharing Sessions are private invite only. Must be registered to receive invitation for your child to participate in the Sharing Session
  • Children under the age of 13 must have a guardian present or near them during their Sharing Session
   

• 1:00 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. Eastern

  Family Program: What’s Bingo-ing On? - Kimberly Taylor | Emily Munoz
  We know that a lot has happened in our homes recently - there have been disappointments, celebrations, and changes in roles, responsibilities, and schedules. Whether you are a household of one or whether you’ve been quarantined with lots of people and extended family, chances are that there are also a lot of emotions. So we’re here to help sort them out! Get ready to discuss what’s been going on by answering the question, “What’s Bingo-ing On?” and joining us for a lighthearted yet insightful session that will help you learn more about what’s going on in your heart and in your home. An introduction and discussion will lead into games of feelings bingo - all you need is paper, something to write with, and some things to mark your squares (we suggest jelly beans, M&Ms, almonds, marshmallows, squares of paper, etc.), some curiosity, and your sense of adventure. 

• 2:00 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. Eastern

  Opening Session  – Bonnie Carroll | Audri Beugelsdijk
  Join us for the Opening Session with TAPS President and Founder Bonnie Carroll and Vice President of Survivor Services, Audri Beugelsdijk.
  

• 3:00 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. Eastern

  When things get real; Loss in the shifting dynamics  – Heidi Horsley
  Following the death of a loved one, survivors are often surprised by the fact that family dynamics change dramatically. We will explore what happens when the casseroles stop coming and the neighbors go home and how we can come together and find common ground in the face of struggle.

• 4:00 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. Eastern

  Grief: What Helps When It Hurts  – Ken Doka
  Grief affects us physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Grieving a significant loss, whether by a death or separation, affects the way we feel, think and behave. While each of us is different, there are things that we can do to help ourselves and those around us as we cope with loss, an inevitable though painful part of both love and life. There are signs to be aware of, as well, indicating the need for help from counselors, clergy, or support groups as we struggle with especially complicated losses.

• 5:00 p.m. – 5:45 p.m. Eastern

  Frightened and Enlightened: The Stress Response and Your Window of Tolerance  – Emily Muñoz
  Emily provides an introduction to stress responses and discusses how we can understand their utility, recognize the ways we rely on them, and explore how versions of these stress responses might be hiding in our everyday lives.

• 6:00 p.m. – 6:45 p.m. Eastern

  The Power of Perspective – Choosing Gratitude  – Erin Jacobson
  Throughout cultures and traditions, gratitude plays an important role in ritual, mindset and outlook. In the face of grief, this concept can seem incomprehensible. Gratitude is more than a feeling though - it is made up of actions that can transform our mindset and bring light into the darkest days of our grief.

All sessions other than sharing groups/sessions will be recorded, so if you cannot attend a session, it will be available at taps.org for you to experience at a later time.