Storybooks for Healing is an eight-week group-writing program designed to assist individuals burdened with grief to return to an active life.

Moved by the death of a friend's daughter, in 2008 Joan Hitchens began laying the foundation for the program.

At its core, SFH is about putting pencil to paper in order to confront grief.

"Grief is hard work," said Joan Hitchens, founder of the program.  "You cannot wish it away; you must take action, and Storybooks For Healing is one way to do this."

Utilizing a structured approach based on discovery, publishing and sharing approaches, participants in the SFH program work within a small and safe group where they discover, write and discuss their loss.  A professional grievance specialist leads each group.

As participants confront their grief, they are encouraged to create a special tribute storybook to share with family and friends.

A common theme among many of the participants is the desire to memorialize the life of the departed loved one for future generations.

"There is a strong desire to preserve the life of the loved one," continued Hitchens.
"Stories are bigger than we are, and they are as important as a national best-seller."

Both Melissa Schroeder and Cathie Alonzo know the power of writing their stories and confronting the grief accompanying the death of a loved one.

Schroeder lost a daughter 10 years ago; Alonzo lost her husband of 40 years.

Both women wrote and captured life.

Part of a pilot group to refine the SFH program, Schroeder decided to write about her loss.

"Through the writing process, I was forced to relive and celebrate Jen's life by working through the sorrow, understanding her purpose, feelings of gratitude and imagine - and exercise of JOY" she wrote in an e-mail.

If they choose, participants in the SFH program can create a storybook to remain connected to their loved one.  If they chose, their work can become par to SFH's online community.

Schroeder's writing resulted in a book entitled, "Our Perfect Little Angel."

"Jen's story can be revisited by anyone at anytime, and we need not forget our precious child."

This is a message that rings true with Alonzo.

Although she found parts of the writing process difficult, she persevered and wrote a storybook that pays tribute to her husband, Rudy.

"Put pen to paper and let the thoughts come out; don't worry about grammar or spelling or complete sentences, just write," she wrote in an e-mail.

Calling the process cathartic Alonzo wrote, searched through photographs and love letters, and read through journals in order to create a storybook about her marriage to her husband, Rudy.

"My ‘storybook' means more to me as time goes by and it evokes different emotions each time I look at it," she continued.

The result is a book entitled, "Our Love Story, Yo Te Amo, My Rudy," wrote Alonzo.

"My sons treasure it as I hope my grandchildren will someday."

For more information about Storybooks for Healing, visit www.storybooksforhealing.com or call (360) 534-0203.