Families of Fallen Military Heroes Gather in Dallas for Weekend of Hope and Healing
TAPS Seminar Brings Bereaved Adults and Children Together to Form Connections, Learn Coping Strategies and Honor Their Loved Ones
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - February 20, 2020
ARLINGTON, Va. – Nearly 400 people grieving the death of a U.S. military service member will come together at the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) Southern Regional Seminar and Good Grief Camp February 21-23 in Dallas, Texas at Hilton DFW Lakes Hotel.
“TAPS regional seminars bring together military families grieving a fallen hero and provide support, resources and compassionate care,” said Bonnie Carroll, TAPS president and founder and 2015 Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient. “Through these TAPS weekends of sharing held across the country, grieving military families find comfort and healing as they honor those who have served and died.”
For adults, the three-day seminar will feature sessions led by experts in the fields of grief and loss, suicide and trauma. Throughout the weekend, bereaved military families will get to know each other in a relaxed, welcoming setting where they can share memories of their fallen heroes and find comfort, hope and healing in hearing each other’s stories.
About 45% of those attending the seminar lost their service member to suicide. Twenty percent lost a loved one to illness. The remaining 35% lost their loved one to accidents, enemy action, training incidents, or homicide.
Workshop topics include:
- a session just for men on coping with grief from 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. Saturday.
- a session on the impact trauma has on the mind and body from 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. Saturday.
- a session on grief discussing expectations and reality from 1:30 p.m.-3 p.m. Saturday.
- a session on yoga and meditation from 9-10:15 a.m., 10:30-11:45 a.m. Sunday.
Children and teens at the seminar will attend the TAPS Good Grief Camp, where they will gain a network of friends their own age who are also grieving a fallen military hero. Experts in the fields of child development, mental health and education will help the children and young adults process their grief and embrace healing through games, crafts and other age-appropriate activities.
The children will be joined by specially trained TAPS military mentors, who will provide companionship and support during the seminar and beyond. Active-duty military members and recent veterans interested in volunteering as TAPS military mentors should visit www.taps.org/militarymentor.
INTERVIEW AVAILABILITY:
On Saturday, February 22, opening ceremonies for the TAPS Southeast Regional Seminar will be held 9 to 10 a.m. to welcome families of fallen service members to the seminar. Interviews are available following the ceremony with TAPS President and Founder Bonnie Carroll, grief experts and family members attending.
AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEWS:
- · Bonnie Carroll, TAPS president and founder
- · Grief experts, including Frank Campbell
- · Families from across the region grieving a fallen service member
MEDIA RSVP:
Please contact media@taps.org or call 703-887-4877 to arrange interviews with TAPS staff or participants or to attend any part of the seminar.
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ABOUT TAPS
The Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) is the leading national organization providing compassionate care and survivor support services for the families of America’s fallen military heroes. Since 1994, TAPS has offered support to more than 90,000 survivors of fallen military in the form of peer-based emotional support, grief and trauma resources, grief seminars and retreats for adults, Good Grief Camps for children, casework assistance, connections to community-based care, online and in-person support groups and a 24/7 resource and information helpline for all who have been affected by a death in the Armed Forces. Services are provided free of charge. For more information go to taps.org or call the toll-free TAPS resource and information helpline at 1.800.959.TAPS (8277).