The Right Place When Nothing Feels Right

At Dougy Center, you will find support, resources, and connection before and after a death.

Learn more through Dougy Center's grief education opportunities

Join a webinar, take an online course, or visit us in person. Grief education an important component of Dougy Center's mission, reaching thousands of people from the United States and around the world. Our education and training opportunities are available to anyone supporting children and families who are grieving.

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Talking with kids and teens about school shootings and other mass tragedies

We know that school shootings and other mass tragedies affect so many more people than just those who are directly impacted. If you or someone you know needs ideas for talking to children about this or other tragic events, find Dougy Center resources through the link below.

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Become a Volunteer Facilitator

Dougy Center volunteer facilitators work directly with kids, teens, young adults, and their adult family members, and play a crucial role in ensuring access to our bereavement program.

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Find Grief Support Near You

Locate peer grief support groups in Portland and around the world.

What We Do

At Dougy Center, we create safe spaces and free resources for children and families who are grieving. Our pioneering peer grief support model, professional training, and world-renowned programs and advocacy bring hope and healing around the world.

Training & Community Response

Our Services

The Impact of Dougy Center

Read stories about the positive impact of Dougy Center on children and families who are grieving

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“A place where we can be ourselves”

After Sam died of cardiac arrest at the age of 41, Adriane was eager to find support for her two sons. Abe and Sol (ages 10 and 9 at the time of their father’s death nearly nine years ago) appreciated the unspoken understanding they found at Dougy Center. It was a place where they could be around other kids who had experienced a similar loss. Peer grief support groups at Dougy Center are organized by age and by the type of death their person experienced, while also recognizing that each loss is unique. Adriane reflected, “Sharing space with other kids who had endured a similar circumstance was incredibly grounding and reassuring for my boys. They did not feel like they were the only ones. They did not feel alone. It was a space where you could share and talk if you wanted or listen and process quietly. Healing can be found in all of it.”

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Grief Out Loud Podcast

Grief Out Loud® is our internationally acclaimed podcast where we talk openly about death, dying, and grief

Latest Episode
August 13th, 2026

Holding The Both/And - Steph Tupper On Grieving Her Children

In 2022, Steph Tupper's two older children, Ali and Joe, were killed in a car crash. Ali was 16 and Joe was 14. Four years later, Steph is still learning how to live with the reality of losing her children while continuing to parent her youngest daughter. In this episode, Steph talks openly about the devastating night she learned Ali and Joe had died, the ways she continues to feel connected to them, and the complicated process of building a life around an absence that will never go away. She shares what she has learned about community, judgment from others - and herself, parenting after loss, and allowing grief to unfold without a timeline. In the last four years, Steph has learned how devastating pain and great joy can coexist, and how her capacity to carry grief continues to grow. read more...

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News & Events

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September 24th, 2026

Dougy Center Webinar: Grief in the Shadows, Supporting Children and Teens After a Stigmatized Death

While any type of death can leave families feeling isolated, some are met with more shame and stigma than others. Deaths from suicide, homicide, substance use, or certain illnesses may evoke disapproval or blame toward the person for how they died, distracting from who they were and how they lived. This webinar explores the unique challenges faced by children and teens who are grieving a stigmatized death. We will discuss the profound emotional complexities, including the guilt, blame, powerlessness, and fear, that can accompany these losses. Join us as we consider best practices for challenging stigma and providing meaningful support for children and families who are grieving a death that may be shrouded in silence and judgment.

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Article

August 10th, 2026

Back to School and Grief: Tips for Parents, Caregivers, and Educators

Children and teens carry their grief to school with them every day. For some, returning to school is comforting. They find support in the structure, familiarity, connections with friends, and the opportunity to focus on something other than grief. For others, returning to school can bring additional stress, uncertainty, and worry.

Event

November 19th, 2026

Dougy Center Grief Education Webinar: The Child We Once Were, How lived experience shapes the way we support kids who are grieving

Through lived experience and professional insight, the conversation will explore how childhood grief shapes the way we support children and families who are grieving today. Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of how small, intentional actions can make a meaningful difference in a child’s grief journey. This webinar is free to attend with your registration.

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About Dougy Center

Dougy Center was founded in 1982 to support children and families who are grieving before and after a death. Today, The Dougy Center Model is world-renowned and has helped thousands of people find hope and healing.

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