Camp Koala adds free therapy sessions for grieving children in Mifflinburg

Grieving children in Union County now have a free one-on-one therapy option in Mifflinburg, giving families a private alternative to the group-based support Camp Koala has offered for years. The nonprofit’s headquarters are at 94 Chestnut Street, and the new sessions with a licensed counselor expand help for children coping with loss, divorce or another major disruption.

Camp Koala says the new counseling fits into a year-round model built for children who need more than a one-time program. Its monthly mini camps in downtown Mifflinburg use art and play therapy, and the nonprofit says they are open to children who have lost a parent, sibling or someone close to them. Camp Koala also runs 6-week grief support groups through schools, hospitals and community centers across the Union County area, all free of charge.

The organization was built from founder Lisa Streett-Liebetrau’s own loss. She established Camp Koala in memory of her sisters, Shelly, who was 12, and Heather, who was 9, after they died in a car crash on Mother’s Day in 1989. Camp Koala says the idea for the camp came to her on Sept. 11, 2006, after 20 years of grieving, and the program was created to give children tools and resources to manage grief in a healthy way.

Camp Koala says its work is rooted in companionship, structure and repeated support, not a single visit. Its overnight camps have been running since 2009, and the nonprofit says all of its camps are free. The group also sends Comfort Bags to funeral homes and school counselors, a small but practical step for students returning to class after a death.

The nonprofit’s local footprint has grown around Mifflinburg institutions and volunteers. Camp Koala says it partners with Mifflinburg Community Park, Tot Park/CPAP, local schools, hospitals and community centers. Its 2025 full-day camp at Mifflinburg Park was a success, and the organization says its 2025 gala raised more than $50,000 for children’s grief programs. For families facing an empty chair at the table, the new counseling sessions add a more personal layer to a service network already rooted in the borough.