ABOUT BEST GROUPS

OUR HISTORY

At BEST Groups (Be Each Other’s Support Team), we believe no one should face grief alone. Founded in 2011 as an innovative school-based extension of Heart of the Cumberland, BEST Groups was born from the heartfelt experiences of our co-founders, Paula King and Jill Horner, who each turned personal loss into a lifelong mission of compassion and healing. Recognizing that grief isn’t limited to the loss of a loved one but can stem from many life challenges, our program was designed to provide safe, supportive peer groups for children and youth. Through the dedicated efforts of school staff, committed volunteers, and strong community partnerships, BEST Groups continues to expand its reach—empowering young people to share, heal, and build resilience in the face of life’s most difficult moments

BEST GROUPS ARE EVIDENCE-BASED

The BEST (Be Each other’s Support Team) Groups program, initiated in 2011 in Putnam County, Tennessee, is a national peer support initiative designed to assist children and youth navigating various forms of grief and loss. By providing a safe environment, the program encourages participants to explore feelings related to the death of a loved one, divorce, foster care, or the absence of a parent due to circumstances such as substance misuse, incarceration, abandonment, deployment, or deportation. The structured small group format fosters empathy and aids children and adolescents in identifying, understanding, and expressing emotions in healthy ways.

Peer Support Group Effectiveness

The effectiveness of peer support programs like BEST Groups is well-documented in the literature. Peer support groups have been shown to enhance well-being of bereaved individuals, reducing grief symptoms and promoting personal growth (Bartone et al., 2019; Metel & Barnes, 2011). Such groups provide a platform for participants to share experiences, thereby normalizing grief responses and reducing feelings of isolation. A qualitative interview study, published in Child and Adolescent Mental Health, focusing on peer-group support for bereaved children highlighted the value of these programs. Children and parents reported positive experiences, noting that peer-group support facilitated the expression of emotions and provided a sense of belonging. The study emphasized the importance of creating a safe space where children can share their feelings and experiences with peers who have faced similar losses (Metel & Barnes, 2011).

Furthermore, evidence-based practices for childhood grief and trauma underscore the effectiveness of structured interventions. Programs that incorporate journaling, object lessons, and interactive group activities, similar to the 11 Heart Messages core to BEST Groups, have been found to help children process their grief. These activities encourage self-expression and provide tools for managing complex emotions associated with loss. Additionally, such groups are shown to have a significant positive impact on anxiety, depression, and other factors associated with grief while serving to contribute to overall well-being among participants (Abuhegazy, 2017; Petursdottir & Thorsteinsson, 2024)

Curricula Overview: A Targeted Support Intervention

In addressing the complex emotional needs of children and youth experiencing grief, these curricula offer targeted, evidence-based approaches to facilitate healing and emotional resilience. Designed to meet the distinct developmental needs of each age group, the following programs provide structured opportunities for self-expression and peer support, enabling participants to explore their feelings in safe and nurturing environments.

BEST Groups Curricula Options

Exploring My Feelings (for Children)
The Exploring My Feelings Art Journal is designed to help grieving children identify common emotional responses associated with loss and to learn how to express these emotions in healthy ways. This curriculum uses creative art journaling as a medium for self-expression, enabling children to externalize and process complex feelings. The hands-on approach is particularly effective in facilitating emotional literacy and resilience, aligning with evidence-based practices in childhood grief interventions.

Navigating This Maze of Emotions (for Youth)
The Navigating This Maze of Emotions curriculum is tailored for youth, providing structured opportunities to receive support and build hope within a peer support group setting. This program encourages participants to explore and articulate their feelings in a guided environment, fostering peer empathy and mutual understanding. The approach supports youth in developing adaptive coping strategies and contributes to improved emotional regulation and overall psychological well-being.

BEST Groups Curricula Standard Compliance

Both Exploring My Feelings and Navigating This Maze of Emotions were developed specifically for schools and contain content that supports Building Strong Brains Tennessee and aligns with the following:

Summary

In summary, the structure and objectives of BEST Groups align with evidence-based practices in supporting grieving children and adolescents. By fostering peer support and providing structured activities, the program offers a research-validated approach to helping young individuals navigate the challenges of grief and loss.

 

References

Abuhegazy, H. (2017). The effect of support group therapy on parentally bereaved adolescents: A randomized controlled trial. MOJ Addiction Medicine & Therapy, 3(5)10.15406/mojamt.2017.03.00055

Bartone, P. T., Bartone, J. V., Violanti, J. M., & Gileno, Z. M. (2019). Peer support services for bereaved survivors: A systematic review. Omega: Journal of Death and Dying, 80(1), 137–166. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0030222817728204

Metel, M., & Barnes, J. (2011). Peer-group support for bereaved children: A qualitative interview study. Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 16(4), 201–207. 10.1111/j.1475-3588.2011.00601.x

Petursdottir, A. B., & Thorsteinsson, H. S. (2024). Evaluating the effect of participation in bereavement support groups on perceived mental well-being and grief reactions. Omega: Journal of Death and Dying, , 302228241253363. 10.1177/00302228241253363