Thomas McAfee Funeral Homes to host 25th Annual Grief Seminar
September 11, 2026
Thomas McAfee Funeral Homes will host its 25th Annual Grief Seminar on Thursday, Oct. 1 at the Kroc Center in Greenville. The event will feature two sessions providing professional caregivers and the general public with guidance on supporting children and teens experiencing grief and loss.
Dr. Patti Anewalt, PhD, LPC, FT, will lead both sessions, sharing practical guidance for understanding how children and teens process grief. Anewalt is the founder of the Pathways Center for Grief & Loss in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and has presented on grief, end-of-life care and crisis response at the international, national and local levels.
“For 25 years, this seminar has helped bring grief education and resources to families and professionals throughout the Upstate,” said Dan Kirkpatrick, Director of Grief Resources and Education at Thomas McAfee Funeral Homes. “By focusing on children and teens this year, we hope to help our community feel more prepared to support young people through grief and loss.”
The professional caregivers session, “The Well of Grief, Grieving Well: Supporting Bereaved Children and Teens,” will take place from 8:45 a.m. to noon. Attendees will learn how grief varies by developmental age, how children and teens experience grief differently from adults and how grief differs from trauma. The session will offer 3 hours of continuing education credit for social workers, chaplains and funeral service professionals in South Carolina and North Carolina.
The evening session, “Transforming Pain into Resilience: Supporting Bereaved Children and Teens Impacted by Serious Illness and Loss,” will take place from 6 to 7:30 p.m. and is open to the general public and professionals. The session will provide resources for those supporting children and teens through serious illness, grief and loss. The session will offer 1 hour of continuing education credit.
Both sessions are free to attend. To register or learn more about the 25th Annual Grief Seminar, visit ThomasMcAfee.com(opens in new tab).
About Thomas McAfee Funeral Homes
Thomas McAfee Funeral Homes is a family-owned funeral home serving the Upstate community since 1913. With locations in Downtown, Northwest, and Southeast Greenville, the company offers personalized funeral, cremation, and pre-planning services. For more information, visit ThomasMcAfee.com(opens in new tab).
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