| Recipient: | Wounded Warriors Canada |
|---|---|
| Project: | Surviving Family Program |
| Province: | National (Ontario) |
| Period: | 01 April 2021 - 29 March 2024 |
| Funding: | $ 750,000 |
Overview:
The Surviving Family Program (SFP) is a five-day, clinically facilitated group program that draws on leading grief and trauma research to assist immediate family members who have lost their service member loved one in the line of duty or to suicide.
This program helps participants recognize the function of emotions and offers evidence-based opportunities to understand and process traumatic grief and sanctuary trauma.
Project goals:
The main goal of this project was to teach and strengthen regulation and resourcing skills. The group-based delivery built participant capacity to provide the clinically-indicated giving and receiving of support with therapeutic assistance and feedback; thus, reducing isolation and facilitating connection with others who have lived through traumatic loss.
Project activities:
To achieve these goals, the Surviving Families Program completed the following activities:
- Expanded the parameters of participation in the program to include immediate family members.
- Helped participants identifying and claiming future-focused needs and goals which promote renewal and hope. All participants received a 2-week post-program clinician follow-up.
- Assisted survivors in exploring the wounds resulting from traumatic loss and guides them to integrate and make meaning of their relationship with their spouse.
Project results:
The Surviving Families Program achieved the following:
- In February of 2021, Wounded Warriors Canada held its first-ever Surviving Spouse Program. The legacy and lessons learned from this program were perpetuated onward in the Wounded Warriors Canada Surviving Families Program.
- In consultation with the clinical program developers, the parameters were expanded for participation in the program to include immediate family members in response to various requests. The program is now known as the Surviving Family Program.
- The group approach enhanced participants’ ability to exchange support with others who have experienced similar traumatic losses, under therapeutic guidance, thereby reducing isolation and increasing overall well-being.