National Military Suicide Survivor Seminar and Good Grief Camp
October 6 - 8, 2023
For Adults: TAPS Seminars
TAPS has supported thousands of survivors of military suicide loss by offering them hope, healing, and renewed opportunities for personal growth. If you’ve lost a military loved one to suicide, you've come to the right place. We've got you. At TAPS we understand that suicide grief is different. We know that you are struggling with a range of powerful emotions and wrestling with very complicated questions.
Fortunately, you are not alone on this journey. At the National Military Suicide Survivor Seminar, you’ll be able to look around and feel the hope and healing. You'll have the opportunity to participate in activities, workshops and small-group sharing sessions, where we’ll connect you with leaders in the fields of suicide grief, trauma and healing. You’ll meet other people walking the same road as you and your family: suicide loss survivors from across the country who have come to share their stories, struggles, moments of reflection, bursts of hope, and loving support.
Together we will work toward gaining an understanding of the complex grief journey we experience after losing a loved one to suicide, develop helpful coping skills and learn to put some pieces of the puzzle together. In this compassionate environment, you’ll find information, empathy and brave companions - a family of survivors with whom to share the journey.
For Young Adults: Pillars of Growth
The TAPS Young Adults Program is for 18 to 30 year old surviving children and siblings and helps our graduating Good Grief Camp children transition into a program all their own.
Transitioning into adulthood is difficult enough, but when you add grief to the scenario, it becomes more challenging. This program takes that into consideration when addressing five pillars of growth: Personal Development, Financial Stability, Communications, Career Development, and Service to Others. With practical life skills explored, the Young Adult Program strives to help each individual create a well-rounded life full of hope, healing, and growth.
Whether you are a graduate of our Good Grief Camp or new to our TAPS events, please know you have found your tribe to grow and heal. If you have any questions, please email youngadults@taps.org.
For Youth: TAPS Good Grief Camp
The TAPS Good Grief Camp at this seminar is a program for children who are grieving the suicide death of a loved one who served in the Armed Forces.
For children attending Good Grief Camp at the TAPS annual National Military Suicide Survivor Seminar, it is strongly advised that the child be aware, or on their way to knowing and understanding (dependent on their age and developmental level) of the cause of death as being by suicide. This seminar is specific to suicide loss where there will be signs, printed materials, and/or scenarios where children may hear conversations where the word suicide is spoken, so adults must be prepared to have the conversation should a child be curious or ask questions.
If you would like help talking to your child about this prior to attending the event, TAPS is here to help. You can request support for this by emailing us at youthprograms@taps.org.
You can also learn more with our TAPS resources on this topic here:
- How to Talk to Children About Suicide
- Talking to Children About Suicide
- Five Reasons to Bring Your Kids to the National Military Survivor Suicide Seminar
- Video: Five Things Kids Bereaved by Suicide Want Adults to Know
CHILD CARE
Childcare 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.
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 TAPS National Military Survivor Seminar and Good Grief Camp.
As a Legacy or Military Mentor, you will support a child throughout the weekend as he or she shares and connects with other surviving kids and learns how to honor their loved one. You will receive training from our Youth Program staff and come alongside a child to do a variety of activities geared toward promoting healing. Whether doing art projects, playing games, throwing or kicking a ball, doing memorial activities, or being silly, you will have fun with a purpose with a child who needs you. Along the way, you will create lasting memories and feel pride in yourself for the amazing impact you will have on a military child and their family.
To register as a Legacy or Military Mentor, create a mentor account and complete a background check form. Once your background check is approved, you can log into your account to register to volunteer at the National Military Suicide Survivor Seminar and Good Grief Camp.
Become a TAPS Peer Mentor
During the seminar, TAPS will be conducting Peer Mentor training for adult military suicide survivors who are at least 18 months beyond their own loss and are ready to be there for other adult suicide survivors to offer support. As a Peer Mentor, you will have a wide variety of opportunities to choose from to support your peers through activities such as seminars, retreats, TAPS Togethers, hosting a Care Group, supporting the Online Community, and providing 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.
Health Guideline and Animals
Health Guidelines for the Seminar: TAPS will make every effort to ensure safe and healthy gatherings. We will continue to monitor COVID variants and may require testing onsite and/or other protocols based on local regulations and CDC guidance. At this time, we do not require proof of full vaccination and masks are optional. Should we have to make any changes you will be notified right away.
Animals: We love animals, but we do not allow them to attend many of our events, which are private events that are not open to the general public. We do this for the health and safety of our members. If you have any questions please contact seminarregistrations@taps.org.