"Remember a time … feeling as though a train has roared through your heart, splitting it into a million pieces. Feeling as though happiness is a complete luxury that you will never be able to afford again, when everything that you breathe, feel, sleep, dream and think is grief and pain. It covers you like a shroud … it invades your lungs and your brain and your bones and your joints. It makes you feel completely alone. And suddenly you see a break in the bleakness, almost like sunshine, or you hear a small peaceful song … that is my definition of the Wendt Center and their staff."
—Wendt Center Client
Welcome
With nationally recognized expertise in grief, trauma and mental health, the Wendt Center for Loss and Healing helps adults and children in the Greater Washington region rebuild a sense of safety and hope after experiencing a loss, life-threatening illness, violence or other trauma.
The Wendt Center is a premier resource for restoring hope and healthy functioning to adults, teens and children who are coping with grief, loss and trauma. We provide mental health counseling, training and education, crisis response and case management services to ease the impact of illness, loss, and traumatic events. We respect individuals and their experiences, understand the pain of loss and trauma, and support people in their healing journey.
The Wendt Center understands the need to reach out for help when the stress associated with illness, traumatic events or life threatening illness is overwhelming. We also understand that not everyone has the means to pursue professional or peer assistance and people often feel lost among the countless support options now available. We have created this web site in an attempt to provide useful, practical and accessible information for those interested in learning more about the process of healing.
Camp Forget-Me-Not/Camp Erin DC
June 8-June 10, 2012
Click here to view a larger version of the 2011 Camp Video!
For additional information about Camp click here.
For general volunteer information click here.
Click here for 2011 Camp Pictures!
VOICES OF NOW: Giving a voice to grieving youth
The Wendt Center would like to thank everyone for sharing an incredibly moving evening with us at Arena Stage on May 8. The cast and play were spectacular. We are so proud of the teens who participated. They displayed true courage as they allowed us a glimpse into how they dealt with painful moments of loss in their lives. Stay tuned for video highlights!
News and Events
Death of a Parent
Click here to hear Children Grieving the Death of a Parent on the Diane Rehm Show, (March 5) with Wendt Center’s Executive Director Susan Ley, Carol Geithner (author of “If Only”) and Elizabeth Kelly, Wendt Center intern.
Join our Lights of Hope Team
The Lights of Hope Program provides candle light vigils for families in the Washington Metropolitan area regardless of cause of death. To learn more, Click here.
Grief Therapy Groups
Enroll Now!! Most of the groups are on-going for all ages. For more information click here or contact our Intake Coordinator at 202-204-5021.
2012 Upcoming Events and Volunteer Opportunities
Click here for more information.
United Way and CFC Campaigns
The Wendt Center is one of the charities you can designate if you participate in the annual United Way Campaign.
Our agency code is #8345 and CFC Code is #17145.
Thank you for remembering us!
