Posted to Community Services News on February 28, 2020 at 12:04 PM by Janet Lo
Crime Victims & Rape Crisis Center
Grief Group Helps Teens, Parents Who Had to "Face Death Too Soon"
The Daily Memphian was there when a homicide response counselor and a community engagement specialist from the Crime Victims & Rape Crisis Center met at Orange Mound Outreach Ministries to discuss using the ministry as home for the teen grief pilot program. The grief group will be for teens and their parents impacted by homicides. The Daily Memphian reports:
“You don’t understand how much we need this,” Rev. Reginald Tucker said. “It is a real serious necessity because I’ve had several kids who have had to face death too soon and the grief process is not resolved. I had one kid’s brother to be taken, and it has been like four years and she is still acting out.”
For more than two decades, the Crime Victims & Rape Crisis Center has offered help and free counseling to those in need. This year, the center is expanding its outreach in an effort to let the public know who the center is and what the center offers. Among the offerings is the new program to help teens affected by homicides in Memphis and Shelby County.
Photos by Patrick Lantrip of the Daily Memphian
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Posted to Community Services News on December 23, 2019 at 10:28 AM by Janet Lo
Crime Victims & Rape Crisis Center
Holiday Counseling for Homicide Survivors
The holiday season can be difficult, especially if you've lost a loved one to violence. There have been 168 homicides in Memphis so far this year, Fox 13 reports. The Shelby County Crime Victims & Rape Crisis Center held holiday counseling for families of homicide victims and has other counseling programs all year-long.
Fox 13 was there with Aqueelah Hyman-Matthews who lost her 19-year-old son, Dominick Hull, in June. He was murdered in a triple shooting. Hull was one of 11 kids and left his big family with a big hole this holiday season.
"He was the joy of the family, always smiling… we actually got Dominick cremated so some will go to the mantle and talk with him. Every morning I ask if they visited him, and they'll say they saw him in a dream, so they're trying to cope as best as they know how," said Matthews.
Recently, she found support at the crisis center. Here, she's surrounded by other homicide survivors like Tiffany Armstrong who now works at the center.
"Being that shoulder, just being that listening ear for them to vent, it’s just heartwarming and it helps me through my journey," said Armstrong.
During the holiday themed counseling sessions, families made journals, ornaments and even keepsake pillows with loves ones' pictures on them.
Matthews said she decorated a small Christmas tree in Dominick's honor. "To help me cope because I'm used to buying all the kids’ gifts, I'm going to purchase a small gift and place it under the tree and let the kids unwrap it for him… He loves mustangs, so I'm going to get him a small toy car," said Matthews.
Holiday drop-in counseling has ended but the center offers free counseling all year. And, starting in January, the center is offering group sessions for teens who are homicide survivors. Continue Reading...
Posted to Community Services News on December 23, 2019 at 10:27 AM by Janet Lo
Crime Victims & Rape Crisis Center
Teen Grief Group
Teen Grief Group is a new initiative to help youth impacted by homicide in our community.
When teens experience the death of someone close, they often feel isolated, confused, sad, and/or angry. They may also feel disconnected from friends and family and struggle to concentrate on schoolwork. As a parent, you may have noticed difficulty communicating with your child following this traumatic loss.
The Shelby County Crime Victims & Rape Crisis Center is offering an eight-session program for teens and parents who have experienced the death of a family member by homicide. Parents or guardians of teens will have the option of attending a support group at our agency during their teen’s group.
WHO: Teens aged 13-17 of all genders (optional group for parents offered)
WHEN: Every other Tuesday afternoon, starting January - April 2020.
WHERE: CVRCC – 1060 Madison Avenue
All CVRCC services are free and confidential
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