The Right Place When Nothing Feels Right

At Dougy Center, you will find support, resources, and connection before and after a death.

Grief and COVID-19

Millions of grandparents, parents, siblings, aunties, uncles, friends, co-workers, and extended family members have died of COVID-19 worldwide. Each person leaves behind family and friends, including children and teens, who are grieving. If you or someone you know is grieving a death from COVID-19, these resources may help

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Talking with kids and teens about school shootings and other mass tragedies

We know that school shootings and other mass tragedies affect so many more people than just those who are directly impacted. If you or someone you know needs ideas for talking to children about this or other tragic events, find Dougy Center resources through the link below.

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Live in the Portland area? Consider becoming a Volunteer Facilitator

Volunteer Facilitators play a crucial role in ensuring access to our bereavement program. They offer skilled support of children, teens, and adults who are grieving a death. Under the supervision of a staff member, Volunteer Facilitators create the safe space for children and teens who are grieving.

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Find Grief Support Near You

Locate peer grief support groups in Portland and around the world.

What We Do

At Dougy Center, we create safe spaces and free resources for children and families who are grieving. Our pioneering peer grief support model, professional training, and world-renowned programs and advocacy bring hope and healing around the world.

Training & Community Response

Our Services

The Impact of Dougy Center

Read stories about the positive impact of Dougy Center on children and families who are grieving

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Meet the Lucas Family

Brigitte Lucas began bringing her daughter, Braelynn, to Dougy Center’s “Littles” group twice a month after her husband, Ethan, died of COVID just a few days before Christmas in 2021. Dougy Center is one of the few places where Brigitte, Braelynn, and Blaykley can talk about Ethan and feel safe to express whatever they need. Like other young children who are grieving, Braelynn struggled after Ethan’s death as she tried to understand what happened. She was tearful sometimes, mad sometimes, and sometimes regressed to earlier developmental stages. Brigitte was amazed when these behaviors began to ease not long after they started a Dougy Center group.

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Grief Out Loud Podcast

Grief Out Loud is our internationally acclaimed podcast where we talk openly about death, dying, and grief

Latest Episode
May 25th, 2023

I Took A Year Off To Grieve - Rebecca Feinglos & GrieveLeave

What happens when you take a year away from your income generating work to focus completely on grief? This is the question Rebecca Feinglos faced at the end of 2021. Grief wasn't new to Rebecca. She was a teenager when her mother died of brain cancer. On the same day her state shut down due to the COVID pandemic, she got a call that her father had died suddenly. In the ensuing months, she ended her marriage. So, by the time she got to the end of 2021, she was exhausted and empty and unwell. It's common to wish the world would stop and give us a break when someone dies, but we usually dream of escaping from it all. Rebecca did something different - she took a year to delve fully into her grief and along the way she wrote about it on her blog. This experience inspired her to start her organization, GrieveLeave, a community to support others in learning to grieve all of their losses. read more...

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News & Events

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June 8th, 2023

Grief Education Webinar: It's Complicated: Death, Grief, & Estranged Relationships

When someone dies, it is not uncommon for people to assume that our relationship with the person (or people) was a positive one. Navigating grief after the death of someone in our lives can be inherently complex, because relationships are complex.

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Event

May 30th, 2023

Dougy Center hosting Open House events in Canby this summer

Dougy Center is hosting several open house events throughout the summer. Anyone interested in learning more about Dougy Center’s local grief support programs for children and teens after the death of a family member is welcome to come by for a tour. The open house events will be May 30, June 13, June 27, July 11, and August 8. All are from 2 to 4 p.m. at Dougy Center’s Walker’s House, 252 NW 4th Ave. in Canby.

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April 4th, 2023

Support Dougy Center through Target Circle

Dougy Center has been chosen to participate in a special charitable giving campaign, sponsored and funded by Target. Now through June 30th, vote for Dougy Center through the Target Circle program to help determine how Target’s donation will be divvied up. Find out more about Target Circle and sign up to vote on their website.

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About Dougy Center

Dougy Center was founded in 1982 to support children and families who are grieving before and after a death. Today, The Dougy Center Model is world-renowned and has helped 55,000 people find hope and healing.

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