School psychologist Dr. Harlie Blauw knows dealing with loss of any kind can be difficult, especially for teenagers. That’s why she created a one-day retreat to help high school students deal with their emotions and questions.

The Mississippi School of the Arts counselor created the Grief Retreat in 2021, with a $500 grant and fewer than 20 students.

“It was my dream,” Blauw said. “It is an art-focused retreat of hope and connection to honor any type of loss, such as death, separation, divorce, absence. Their loss can be honored, and they can be around other people who feel the same they do, while being able to express anything they want to through art.”

This year’s retreat, the fourth annual event, will be Saturday, April 6, 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. on the MSA campus in Brookhaven. Activities will include wood burning, watercolor painting, mural painting, creative writing, pottery making, mixed media art, a petting zoo and horse rides.

The event is free for high school students, grades 9-12, and includes free breakfast and lunch. It is not limited to MSA students, or other public school students.

“They can be private school students, homeschooled, literally any high school student,” said Blauw, who holds a master’s degree in school psychology and a doctorate in educational leadership.

Each year, local artist Derek Covington Smith helps the students and counselors create a collaborative mural painting.

“It has meaning behind it,” Blauw said. “We all put a piece towards it and make it a whole. We will also do a butterfly release.”

“Last year, we had 60 teenagers from 16 different districts, and students reported a positive experience, meeting new people and learning new things,” she said.

Interested students can find out more details and register at https://msabrookhaven.org/events/griefretreat24. Registration deadline is Wednesday, March 27.

For more information, email Blauw at harlie.blauw@msabrookhaven.org.

The main purpose of the event is simply to help students express what they need to in order to better deal with their losses, whatever they may have been, Blauw said.

“There is no loss that is too big or too small, or from too long ago or too recent, all are welcome.”