“Grief Sucks” and Experience Camps Help Grieving Teens Navigate Loss

Kennedy Murphy was only 5 years old when her father, Don Murphy, passed away from a heart attack. At the age of 7 she began attending an Experience Camp, a program developed by a national nonprofit to help grieving children and teens. Now 16, Murphy and other Experience Camp alumni are dedicated to helping others navigate their own loss through a website they helped create: Grief Sucks. 

Experience Camps

Founded in 2009 in Manitoba, Maine, Experience Camps is a national, no-cost program for grieving children who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling, or primary caregiver. Their network of staff and volunteers work to provide opportunities across the country for these children through one-week overnight camps, year-round programs, and content to “help reframe the experience of grief and empower kids with the necessary coping skills to move forward with their lives.” 

When a child experiences the loss of someone important during such a critical time of development, they often struggle with guilt, anxiety, regret, and isolation. By providing a community of support, these children are able to heal and reconnect. 

Grief Sucks

An initiative of Experience Camps, Grief Sucks was built by Murphy and other members of the Experience Camps’ Youth Advisory Board, a panel of pre-teens and teens who have all been profoundly impacted by their experiences with the group. 

The website serves as a digital platform for kids experiencing grief to share their thoughts, commiserate with each other, and provides helpful content to guide them through their own journey. Designed with casual language and colorful images, the site is an incredible repository of videos, blog articles, recommendations for movies and tv shows, and official resources. 

Their blog features articles like “How to Handle Hearing Crappy Grief Advice” and “Do Your Non-Grieving Friends Know How to Comfort You?” Each one invites readers to respond on the site as well as on other social media platforms, which effectively creates a solid sense of community. The videos are produced by grieving teens themselves, as well as celebrities and influencers who discuss their experiences without mincing words. 

Why These Types of Platforms are Crucial

One of the hardest aspects of facing loss is coping with the sense of isolation, regardless of how well-intentioned our own community might be. Sites like Grief Sucks, and places like Experience Camps, provide safe spaces (for kids and teens in particular) to express their needs and exasperations amongst people who can relate to them. Feeling like you’ve found somewhere you belong, especially at that age, can mean a world of difference.