2024 Award Recipient
AmelieLiu
Project Peer Healing
Project Peer Healing
In the summer of 2012, on a family trip to Lake Michigan, Amelie’s father tragically drowned while rescuing two boys who were struggling in the lake’s current. Amelie was seven years old.
In the summer of 2019, purpose emerged from Amelie’s grief when she connected with Alexis, a clinical social work student at the University of Chicago who also lost a parent at a young age. Together, they hoped to create change within the bereavement community. Amelie envisioned what today’s teens need for grief support, and Alexis used her clinical training and personal background to help Amelie create it. Soon, Peer Healing was born.
Peer Healing was the first grief support group designed by and for teenagers. Adapted from the Family Bereavement Program, Peer Healing resonates with teens by incorporating technology, mindfulness strategies, and a pioneering peer-led model. To date, the program has trained 32 volunteer peer leaders and engaged 1,100 grief centers across 47 states.
Peer Healing is the first grief resource designed by and for teenagers. Teens experiencing loss, already burdened with added responsibilities and a profound sense of isolation, face a scarcity of grief resources tailored to their age and stage of life. Peer Healing was adapted from the Family Bereavement Program to resonate with adolescents, incorporating technology, mindfulness strategies, and a pioneering peer-led model. Amelie sought guidance and mentorship from experienced professionals and conducted 24 focus groups of teens to ensure Peer Healing adhered to the standards established by the Family Bereavement Program, while also adapting them effectively for the modern teenager.
