Highmark Caring Place Grief Counseling Expert Available to Speak to Media Regarding Harry Potter

Terese Vorsheck, Certified Grief Counselor, Offers Expert Advice to Parents

and Children Coping with Loss Related to Upcoming Harry Potter Release

    PITTSBURGH, July 19 /PRNewswire/ --
     Who?
     Terese Vorsheck is the director of the Highmark Caring Place, a center
 for grieving children, adolescents and their families. In this role, Ms.
 Vorsheck is responsible for directing the strategies, initiatives,
 services, and programs of the Caring Place including:
     - Peer Support Groups for Grieving Children and Families
     - Referral Services for Grieving Families
     - Professional Consultation and Training Programs
     - Community Outreach and Awareness Strategies
     - Volunteer Partnership Initiative (Recruitment, Training and Maintenance)
     - Education on Grief and Child Development for Families
     - Special Family Programming
     - Model Replication
     Why?
     Ms. Vorsheck is available to speak with parents and children, as well
 as the media, on how to cope with feelings of grief and loss. This is a
 particularly timely issue with the release of the final Harry Potter book,
 Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows scheduled for release this Saturday,
 July 21, 2007. Recent articles have sparked rumors suggesting that one or
 more main characters will die. This could have a serious impact on
 children, millions of whom have grown up reading, watching and profoundly
 enjoying the characters and storylines of the Harry Potter series. As the
 world comes to terms with the possible demise of a hero, The Highmark
 Caring Place and Ms. Vorsheck will share insights helping children and
 parents to cope with some of life's most difficult challenges.
     When and Where?
     Ms. Vorsheck is available to speak to media any time Friday, July 20,
 2007 through Thursday, July 26, 2007. Ms. Vorsheck will be located at one
 of the three Caring Place locations, in Erie, Harrisburg or Pittsburgh,
 Pennsylvania. Print, broadcast and online interviews can be arranged.
     About The Caring Place
     The Highmark Caring Place, A center for grieving children, adolescents,
 and their families, provides peer support groups, referral services, adult
 telephone support, and educational programs and resources for grieving
 children and families. In addition, consultation services, as well as
 educational presentations and resources are available for schools and other
 professionals in the community who work with children. The Highmark Caring
     Place is a community resource, offering services at no charge to any
 grieving family in the community.
     The Caring Place:
     - Helps children know they're not alone in their grief.
     - Provides peer support to children and families who are grieving the
 death of a loved one.
     - Provides a safe place with safe people so that the children can share
 their grief, their feelings, and their memories.
     - Is a place where grieving children and families receive support and
 encouragement from others their age, and from trained adult volunteers.
     - Helps children build and keep memories of the person who died.
     - Encourages children to express their feelings, memories and thoughts,
 even when these are difficult to express.
     The Highmark Caring Place operates three facilities, located in
 Pittsburgh, Erie and Central Pennsylvania, but shares resources nationally
 on its website www.highmark.com. Since the opening of the Caring Place in
 1997, the program has served more than 10,000 family members and community
 partners. For more information about the Highmark Caring Place, contact
 1-866-613-HOPE (4673) or visit www.highmarkcaringplace.com.
 
 

SOURCE Highmark Caring Place