Caring Companion Training
A Companion is a parent who has experienced the loss of a baby, worked through their grief and now wishes to guide and support a newly bereaved family throughout their grieving process. The Caring Companion training is designed to educate and prepare a parent volunteer to provide peer support to a family experiencing the loss of a baby.
The training will help to empower a parent Companion to share their story and honor their baby while building a community of peer support for a newly bereaved family. Having support from someone who has had a similar experience of loss has proven benefits of decreasing feelings of loneliness and promoting an overall healthier well-being during the grieving process.
Through this training, the Companion will explore the unique grief process of bereaved parents, siblings, and grandparents following a perinatal loss. The Rights of the Parent and Rights of the Baby, Cultural and Social Diversity, and the important role of ongoing support during this tragic time are all discussed. These topics are geared towards the development of providing care and support in a knowledgeable and empathetic manner.
Who Should Attend
This training is intended for bereaved parents or grandparents who wish to provide support in their community or for building a peer support program within a bereavement program/Share chapter.
To be a parent Companion, we respectfully ask that you wait at least 18 months after your personal loss before attending this training, to ensure you have honored your own story before entering into another person's.
Online Training
The cost of this training is $50. If you are interested in providing peer support in your community or within your bereavement program, contact Patti Budnik at pbudnik@nationalshare.org with any questions.