Dougy Center

Be in the room where hope happens!

Join us for this inspiring luncheon featuring special guests, Miguel and Kelly Cervantes! Miguel is celebrated for his acclaimed eight-year portrayal of Alexander Hamilton on Broadway and in Chicago, and Kelly is a best-selling author, speaker, and advocate whose work explores grief, resilience, caregiving, and healing. Together, they bring a powerful story of love, loss, and hope that has inspired families across the country. Join Dougy Center October 27th to Focus on Hope and show your support for children, teens, and families who are grieving.

Learn more and register today at dougy.org/hope

Sometimes grief and how it shows up is obvious. Other times we might not recognize our experience as grief until something shifts our perspective. This was true for Juniper Wong, MSW, LICSW, a therapist who specializes in supporting those who are grieving through self-compassion, mindfulness, somatic experiencing, and Internal Family Systems (IFS).

Juniper shares how caring for her father during the final weeks of his life changed her understanding of grief, sparking a recognition of how much of her own life had been shaped by the loss and grief passed down her family line. Becoming a mother led Juniper to see connections between her own fears and those of the women in her family line, fears that were rooted in loss. She describes using meditation, movement, writing, and even imagined conversations with ancestors as ways of making sense of what she was carrying.

All of these personal experiences with grief inform the work Juniper does to help others name and work with their grief - including Happy Hour for Sad People, a monthly gathering through Grounded Grief in Portland, Oregon, where laughter, dark humor, tears, and connection can coexist. Listen to our conversation wherever you get your podcasts.

This “Bill of Rights” was created by teen participants in Dougy Center’s Pathways Program for when a family member is living with an advanced serious illness.

Since 2014 our Pathways program has supported families facing an advanced serious illness. When someone is diagnosed with an advanced serious illness, it can feel like no one understands what you’re going through. While everyone’s experience is unique, participants tell us how helpful it is to be with people who are on a similar path. Through playing, talking, and listening, you and your family will find understanding, connection, and community.
To learn more, please visit dougy.org/pathways or email [email protected].

a special Love, Lashify courtside experience for some of our favorite fire fans representing the Pink Lemonade Project and the Dougy Center

Love, Lashify is the commitment to celebrating and supporting the people who make Portland extraordinary and is designed to evolve alongside Lashify’s growing commitment to the community.

In recognition of Children’s Grief Awareness Day, November 19, Dougy Center is offering a virtual panel discussion, "The Child We Once Were: How lived experience shapes the way we support kids who are grieving." Featuring professionals who experienced the death of someone significant during their own childhood, panelists will reflect on what they needed from the adults around them, what was helpful, and what they wish had been different.

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.

There is no cost to attend this webinar, but registration is required. Learn more and register at dougy.org/webinars

Register today for the 2027 Virtual Professional Seminar!
Support children, teens, young adults, and families who are grieving with confidence.
Professionals throughout various disciplines encounter grief in their work. Dougy Center’s Virtual Professional Seminar gives you the knowledge and practical skills to respond with greater confidence across developmental stages.

Invest in your professional practice and strengthen your ability to support people who are grieving. Join Dougy Center’s Virtual Professional Seminar and put grief-informed knowledge into practice.
Register today at dougy.org/seminar

Join us for our upcoming 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 su***de, 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.
Register today at dougy.org/webinars