"After my son died and I was completely emotionally crushed I was referred to TCF through a friend. Thank you for all your support and help for bereaved parents get through such a tragic time. I made use of all available TCF resources - support groups, the library, discussion groups and events. From all of this I found Lauren’s Art Therapy to be the most valuable for me. The sessions were structured in a comforting small group which met in a very supportive and intimate atmosphere with a table between us and no pressure, but an open opportunity to share as much of our deepest unspoken feelings as we cared to. Every week we would start with a “check in” of where we were at, how we felt, a short guided grounding exercise followed by an expressive art therapy session. There were no expectations, no art ability required and it wasn’t about producing an end result, but a means for people to express how they felt. Through art we were able to access deeper parts of our emotions and grief that often is very difficult to express or share with words alone. The process made us aware of different things and gave us much food for thought and reflection. We used different materials each week, that often elicited different feelings which surfaced and were shared and discussed, with all of us being able to relate to what came up for each other. We cried, we laughed, we shared, supported and understood and always left more uplifted than when we came. Accessing hidden unexpressed emotions in this way and sharing them was very therapeutic, as well as growthful and enlightening. I’m sure it would be beneficial for anyone, most of all bereaved parents."