Niños HopeWest
Apoyo en el duelo para niños y adolescentes
Who is support for?
What does support include?
Support Groups & Camps
HopeWest Kids FAQs
Conocer al equipo
Recursos de apoyo para el duelo
What is HopeWest Kids?
HopeWest Kids is a grief support program designed to help children and teens cope with the loss of a loved one by providing education, emotional support, and a safe space to express their feelings.
HopeWest Kids offers this support through creative approaches such as school grief groups, camps, and individual counseling. These interventions give them a better chance for healthier emotional development, strengthened relationships with their family and friends, and better engagement in school.
Niños HopeWest
Apoyo en el duelo para niños y adolescentes
What is HopeWest Kids?
HopeWest Kids is a grief support program designed to help children and teens cope with the loss of a loved one by providing education, emotional support, and a safe space to express their feelings.
HopeWest Kids offers this support through creative approaches such as school grief groups, camps, and individual counseling. These interventions give them a better chance for healthier emotional development, strengthened relationships with their family and friends, and better engagement in school.
Who is support for? →
What does support include? →
Grupos y programas de apoyo →
HopeWest Kids FAQs →
Conocer al equipo →
Recursos de apoyo para el duelo →
Getting Started
How Can HopeWest Kids Support My Child Through Grief?
Nuestro trabajo implica facilitar el bienestar y la resiliencia en todo el niño. Nuestro apoyo al duelo abarca educación e intervenciones compasivas para el niño y la familia en colaboración con socios comunitarios.
Who is HopeWest Kids For?
• Children who have experienced the death of a loved one
• Children facing anticipatory grief
• Teens struggling to process loss
• Families seeking grief support resources
How Much Does HopeWest Kids Cost?
Grief support is available at little to no cost. Families and loved ones of hospice patients in our care receive anticipatory grief support and bereavement services for up to 13 months after a death, provided at no cost. Children and teens who have not experienced the death of a loved one in HopeWest’s care can also receive our grief services. These services may be covered by insurance or offered on an income-based sliding scale, with financial assistance available for those who qualify. Bereavement groups are offered at no charge and HopeWest Kids camps have a registration fee, which may also be waived on a case-by-case basis.
How to Sign Up for HopeWest Kids
Call us at (970) 257-2390 or fill out a contact form to receive help with deciding which support options will be the best fit for you. We will equip you with all the information you need to get started with HopeWest Kids.
What Does Grief Support Include?
Through individual counseling, group counseling, and additional resources, HopeWest Grief Support serves those experiencing a serious illness, anticipatory grief, and the death of a loved one.
Individual counseling
School-based support groups
Equine therapy support groups
Other expressive experiences like art, dance and play
Kids Grief Support Groups, Programs & Camps
Niños HopeWest Los servicios de apoyo al duelo están abiertos a cualquier persona de la comunidad que haya experimentado la pérdida de un ser querido. Para más información sobre disponibilidad, por favor llame (970) 257-2390.
Delta County
Asesoramiento individual
Las sesiones de asesoramiento están disponibles para cualquier persona que haya experimentado la muerte de un ser querido o esté relacionada con alguien con una enfermedad grave. Los servicios se ofrecen a una tarifa nominal según una escala móvil o están cubiertos por un seguro.
Grupos de apoyo escolares
HopeWest Kids partners with school counselors to offer free grief support groups during school hours for students who may benefit from extra care and connection. These groups are:
• Led by trained professionals
• Supportive and confidential
• Age-appropriate and activity-based
• Held during the school day
• Open to any student who has experienced the loss of a loved one—regardless of when it occurred
To learn more about this resource, please reach out to the counselor at your child’s school or call HopeWest. There is no cost for school-based grief support groups.
Mesa County
Asesoramiento individual
Las sesiones de asesoramiento están disponibles para cualquier persona que haya experimentado la muerte de un ser querido o esté relacionada con alguien con una enfermedad grave. Los servicios se ofrecen a una tarifa nominal según una escala móvil o están cubiertos por un seguro.
Grupos de apoyo escolares
HopeWest Kids partners with school counselors to offer free grief support groups during school hours for students who may benefit from extra care and connection. These groups are:
• Led by trained professionals
• Supportive and confidential
• Age-appropriate and activity-based
• Held during the school day
• Open to any student who has experienced the loss of a loved one—regardless of when it occurred
To learn more about this resource, please reach out to the counselor at your child’s school or call HopeWest. There is no cost for school-based grief support groups.
Grupo de apoyo Forget-Me-Not
Join HopeWest Kids for Forget-Me-Not, a family-centered grief support group. The group, open to individuals of all ages with community connections, provides a safe and caring place to explore grief and its impact on the family. Forget-Me-Not offers education and support regarding the grieving process through the use of games, art and craft projects and music. Children and teens will work in age-specific groups, and parents will have a separate group, allowing participants to connect with peers facing similar experiences.
Grupos de apoyo de equinoterapia
Estos grupos están diseñados para ayudar a niños y adolescentes a comprender y afrontar su pérdida mediante la autoexpresión y la interacción con los caballos.
Rio Blanco County
Asesoramiento individual
Las sesiones de asesoramiento están disponibles para cualquier persona que haya experimentado la muerte de un ser querido o esté relacionada con alguien con una enfermedad grave. Los servicios se ofrecen a una tarifa nominal según una escala móvil o están cubiertos por un seguro.
Grupos de apoyo escolares
HopeWest Kids partners with school counselors to offer free grief support groups during school hours for students who may benefit from extra care and connection. These groups are:
• Led by trained professionals
• Supportive and confidential
• Age-appropriate and activity-based
• Held during the school day
• Open to any student who has experienced the loss of a loved one—regardless of when it occurred
To learn more about this resource, please reach out to the counselor at your child’s school or call HopeWest. There is no cost for school-based grief support groups.
Grupos de apoyo de equinoterapia
Estos grupos están diseñados para ayudar a niños y adolescentes a comprender y afrontar su pérdida mediante la autoexpresión y la interacción con los caballos.
Montrose & Ouray Counties
Asesoramiento individual
Las sesiones de asesoramiento están disponibles para cualquier persona que haya experimentado la muerte de un ser querido o esté relacionada con alguien con una enfermedad grave. Los servicios se ofrecen a una tarifa nominal según una escala móvil o están cubiertos por un seguro.
Grupos de apoyo escolares
HopeWest Kids partners with school counselors to offer free grief support groups during school hours for students who may benefit from extra care and connection. These groups are:
• Led by trained professionals
• Supportive and confidential
• Age-appropriate and activity-based
• Held during the school day
• Open to any student who has experienced the loss of a loved one—regardless of when it occurred
To learn more about this resource, please reach out to the counselor at your child’s school or call HopeWest. There is no cost for school-based grief support groups.
Grupos de apoyo de equinoterapia
Estos grupos están diseñados para ayudar a niños y adolescentes a comprender y afrontar su pérdida mediante la autoexpresión y la interacción con los caballos.
Grados K-2
Grados 3-12
Frequently Asked Questions
Do children process grief differently than adults?
Children grieve differently than adults, which can make grief hard to identify. Since kids do not sustain emotional pain for long periods of time, they grieve in spurts. Episodes of tears and crying can be quickly followed by laughter and play. As they mature, they may grieve the loss again and need support long after adults think they are healed.
Adolescentes respond to grief similarly to adults. They may try to assume adult roles, participate in risk-taking behavior, struggle academically or socially, experience physical complaints, and turn to peers for support while withdrawing from parents and other adults. At this developmental stage they may struggle with identity issues.
At what age do children need grief support?
Children as young as five can participate in individual and family sessions with HopeWest Kids. Once your child is old enough to be in school, they will have access to our school grief groups, grief camps and other services that we offer.
Should a child go to a funeral?
Rituals are important and with proper support and education, children can benefit from attending a funeral. This gives the child an opportunity to say goodbye, helps them accept the loss, provides an opportunity to share memories, and offers them time to remember their loved one. Prepare your child by explaining the meaning of burial or cremation, let them know when and where the ceremony will be and if the casket will be open or closed. Children should be offered a choice on whether or not to attend, and if they choose not to, give them another opportunity to memorialize their loved one such as lighting a candle, decorating a memory box or visiting the cemetery.
How should I talk to my child about illness, grief and death?
Talking with children and teens about an illness or the possibility of death is never easy, but young people are perceptive and sense when they feel they are being excluded from family events. It is important to provide accurate, age-appropriate information and invite their questions. Provide information about the disease in language appropriate to their age, name the disease and explain how it affects the body, and tell them whether or not the disease is infectious. Children may fear they can “catch” the illness and therefore distance themselves from their loved one. Explain the cause of the disease. “Magical thinking” in young children may lead them to believe that something they said or did caused the disease. Reassure them the illness is never the fault of a child.
Honest conversations about death can help children prepare and process their emotions. Let them know that it is okay to ask questions, cry, and express their feelings. Tell them you may cry when talking about the person but assure them you are only letting out your feelings, you are ok, and you will continue to care for them. It is important for your child’s grieving process to tell them the truth about the death. try to use concrete words like dead, died, y death instead of vague phrases like loss or pass away.
My loved one wasn’t in HopeWest’s care, can my child still receive grief support?
HopeWest Kids is for anyone in Colorado who has experienced the loss of a loved one. Whether it is anticipatory grief, or learning to cope with a loss, our trained and caring staff is available to help.
What is the service area for HopeWest Kids?
HopeWest provides grief support in Mesa, Delta, Montrose, Ouray, and parts of Garfield and Rio Blanco counties. Call (970) 257-2390 to speak with a member of our grief support team.
Conozca al equipo de niños de HopeWest
Nuestros terapeutas están preparados a nivel de maestría y tienen una larga experiencia en el campo del apoyo a las enfermedades y el duelo. Tienen capacitación y experiencia especiales en duelo y pérdida, y cuentan con certificaciones en arteterapia, equinoterapia y EMDR, un método diseñado para aliviar la angustia asociada con el trauma.
Amber, LPC-MHSP-S (TN), LPC (CO), Director of Bereavement
About Amber
Amber Moyo is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Clinical Supervisor with specialized training in trauma-focused therapy and EMDR. She earned her master’s degree in Counseling from East Tennessee State University and has extensive experience in community mental health, private practice, and program leadership, including owning her own practice and serving as Clinic Director of an outpatient clinic.
In addition to her clinical work, Amber is an author and podcast host, where she helps fellow mental health professionals build sustainable, values-driven practices. Guided by empathy and authenticity, Amber helps individuals and families find meaning and resilience through life’s most difficult seasons.
Jodi, MSW, LCSW, Mesa County Youth Counselor
Acerca de Jodi
Jodi, MSW, recibió su Maestría en Trabajo Social de la Universidad de Campbellsville en 2022. Comenzó su viaje con HopeWest como pasante en 2017 y comenzó a trabajar en 2018; Ha trabajado en el Departamento de Duelo, Cuidados Paliativos y PACE. Valora una relación terapéutica sólida e integra el uso de un enfoque basado en las fortalezas, la teoría de sistemas, las artes expresivas y la atención plena en su trabajo con personas en duelo, cuidadores y personas que padecen enfermedades graves. A Jodi le gusta trabajar con personas, familias y dirigir grupos de duelo.
Trisha, MSW, SWC, Mesa County Youth Counselor
About Trisha
Trish specializes in grief counseling for children and adolescents experiencing loss and the ways grief impacts growth, behavior, and emotional well‑being. She connects easily with youth of all ages and provides a supportive environment where clients can safely explore their experiences. With a strong foundation in child development, attachment theory, and trauma‑informed care, Trish integrates CBT- and DBT‑informed skills with play, art‑based, expressive, and movement‑based therapeutic approaches to support grief processing.
Elaine, MSW, Delta Bereavement Counselor
About Elaine
Elaine brings more than a decade of experience supporting individuals and families through some of life’s most difficult moments. Before joining HopeWest, she worked in child welfare and community mental health across Colorado’s Western Slope, specializing in trauma-informed care, grief, loss, and family systems. She earned her Master of Social Work in 2025 and is committed to ongoing professional growth and ethical, compassionate practice.
Elaine believes grief is not something to “fix,” but something to be honored, understood, and carried with support. Her approach is grounded in presence, honesty, and respect for each person’s unique story. She values walking alongside people at their own pace—listening deeply, offering tools when helpful, and creating space for both sorrow and meaning.
A longtime resident of Western Colorado, Elaine cares deeply about this community and the people who make it home. Outside of work, she enjoys music, creative projects, time with family and friends, and finding small moments of beauty in everyday life. She is honored to serve with HopeWest and to support individuals and families as they navigate loss with dignity, connection, and hope.
Ashley, MSW, Meeker Grief Counselor
About Ashley
Addie, MA, LPC, Montrose Bereavement Counselor
About Addie
Addie earned her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Adams State College and her Master of Arts in Counseling from the University of Northern Colorado. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor with more than 25 years of experience working with children, adolescents, adults, and families. Addie is Level II trained in EMDR and provides trauma-informed, compassionate care to individuals navigating grief, loss, trauma, anxiety, depression, and life transitions. She believes healing begins with a strong therapeutic relationship and utilizes evidence-based approaches to help clients build resilience, process difficult experiences, and move forward with hope.
Resources & Suggested Reading
Kids Grief Support: Talking to Children & Teens
Children grieve differently than adults, which can make grief hard to identify. Since kids do not sustain emotional pain for long periods of time, they grieve in spurts. Grief may present itself as changes in…
read more
A Teen’s Journey to Healing with HopeWest Kids Grief Support
For Sam Hightower, 18, the path of grief was at times rocky and unclear. But with every step, and the support of the HopeWest Kids program, he’s found his way forward. Sam was only eight years old when he lost his father to an incurable brain tumor. He doesn’t remember all the details, but he does remember feelings of…
read more
Helpful Books for Children Experiencing Grief & Loss
HopeWest counselors have curated a list of helpful books for children experiencing grief and loss.
view recommended books
Rainbow Connections: A Guide Through the Grieving Process for Kids 12 & Under
When a loved one dies, kids continue to need long-term care and support. Rainbow Connections is a 12-issue newsletter for kids 12 and under that combines general information about loss and grief with proven tips and coping strategies.
view Rainbow Connections newsletter
Curación con caballos
Through the HopeWest Kids equine assisted counseling program, children and teens have the opportunity to work through grief in the company of horses. This seven-week program facilitated by HopeWest counselors and equine therapy volunteers, helps children build a sense of self-concept and trust, improve communication and receive tools to help…
read more
Helpful Books for Teens Experiencing Grief & Loss
HopeWest counselors have curated a list of helpful books for teens experiencing grief and loss.
view recommended books
Connections for Teens: A Guide Through the Grieving Process
When a loved one dies, teens continue to need long-term care and support. Connections for Teens is a 13-issue newsletter that combines general information about loss and grief with proven tips and coping strategies.
view Connections for Teens newsletter