GROUNDED STARS LLC

 

Trauma-Informed Education and Wellness for Youth, Families, and Communities

 

We are a New York–based health and human services organization specializing in community and behavioral health. We are a mission-driven, social impact company focused on making trauma-informed education and mental wellness support accessible to youth and families, regardless of financial barriers.

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We partner with families, caregivers, schools, shelters, community organizations, justice systems, and more to create safe, culturally responsive learning spaces where healing, identity, and possibility can grow.

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We serve youth nationwide.

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Who We Are

 

Grounded Stars LLC is not a nonprofit organization, but we operate with a mission-based, reinvestment model that combines the sustainability and flexibility of private enterprise with the values and community commitment often associated with nonprofit work. Every program and product we offer is intentionally designed to support emotional well-being, family stability, and long-term success for youth and caregivers.

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Our Social Impact Model

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Grounded Stars includes a retail branch that offers comfort clothing, psychoeducational journals and manuals, and therapeutic, calming household items. All proceeds from these products are directly reinvested into our behavioral health and educational programs, allowing us to provide low-cost and free services to families who may otherwise be unable to access high-quality, trauma-informed support. When you shop with Grounded Stars or partner with us, you are actively helping fund accessible services for families navigating housing instability, justice involvement, family separation, trauma, and other complex life stressors.

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Who We Serve

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Grounded Stars proudly serves youth from early childhood through young adulthood, as well as parents, grandparents, kinship caregivers, and foster or adoptive caregivers. We support families navigating child welfare, courts, probation, shelters, reentry services, and other complex systems, along with community partners such as schools, shelters, community-based organizations, and justice system stakeholders. Families turn to us when managing behavior concerns, emotional outbursts, bullying, peer conflict, self-esteem challenges, identity questions, thoughts of self-harm or overwhelm, family trauma, separation, reunification, intergenerational poverty, housing instability, and other intensive stressors. Our services are educational and supportive, intentionally designed to complement — not replace — clinical or emergency services.

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What We Offer

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Our work is organized across key service areas, including education supports, family supports, nonclinical health and wellness services, housing and shelter support, justice services, workforce development, caregiver support, physical wellness meetups, violence prevention and safety supports, and social emotional learning. Programs are offered online and in person, typically in group sessions with some extended-format options. Every group and workshop is trauma-informed, strengths-based, inclusive, and culturally responsive, and is designed to be practical, engaging, and immediately applicable in daily life.

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Family Foundations and Caregiver Support

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These offerings help caregivers strengthen relationships, build confidence, and navigate complex systems with clarity and support. Our preparation sessions equip adults who are welcoming children through foster care or adoption with guidance on attachment, communication, and supportive caregiving strategies. Youth-focused groups provide creative, expressive spaces for exploring identity, belonging, and emotional skills. Peer circles for grandparents and kinship caregivers blend shared wisdom with practical tools for routines, boundaries, and school or system navigation. Specialized workshops for caregivers of court-involved youth offer strategies for communication, accountability, and managing expectations across probation, court, and school settings. Crisis-navigation sessions support families experiencing child welfare involvement, legal challenges, or behavioral crises by covering safety planning, structured communication, documentation, and system collaboration. Trauma-informed parenting classes offer nonclinical education on how stress and trauma influence youth behavior and provide practical, supportive strategies for caregivers to use in daily life.

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Reentry and Justice-Involved Family Programs

 

These programs center dignity, family connection, and practical planning for parents and youth returning home. Support for mothers returning from incarceration focuses on rebuilding family bonds through communication, reunification routines, and guidance on navigating community resources. Fathers returning home receive structured support aimed at strengthening healthy fatherhood, establishing consistent involvement, and reconnecting with their children. Youth ages 14–24 transitioning back into the community are offered comprehensive guidance on education planning, job readiness, independent living skills, and restoring family relationships, ensuring they return with a strong foundation for stability and growth.

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Housing, Shelter, and Resource Supports

 

These offerings promote stability, clarity, and emotional safety for families navigating housing transitions. Families receive support with housing applications, documentation, and establishing daily routines that contribute to long-term stability. Newcomers entering the shelter system are provided with clear, accessible guidance on expectations, required documents, placement processes, and planning for school or childcare. Children and youth are offered a calming, activity-based space that uses arts, play, and movement to ease stress while their caregivers complete intake and paperwork. Parents and individuals also receive guidance on communicating with child welfare agencies, schools, shelters, and courts, as well as support in understanding their rights and staying organized. In addition, one-on-one and small-group assistance connects families to essential benefits, childcare, food resources, reentry support, educational services, and housing-related assistance.

 

Social Emotional Learning Groups

 

Our SEL groups are developmentally tailored and delivered online in engaging sessions, helping children and teens build emotional language, healthy relationships, and resilience. Younger children engage in play-based activities using stories and routines to practice feelings, sharing, and cooperation. Early elementary students participate in interactive sessions focused on understanding emotions, forming friendships, and learning simple problem-solving skills. Upper elementary youth build emotional vocabulary, practice conflict resolution, and strengthen empathy. Middle school participants explore identity, emotions, friendships, and healthy boundaries in a supportive environment, while high school students focus on stress management, communication, self-awareness, and informed decision-making as they prepare for increasing independence.

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Coping, Wellness, and Safety Skills

 

These programs focus on everyday coping tools, emotional regulation, and safety, offering practical support for children, teens, and adults. Participants learn mindfulness, grounding strategies, and stress-reduction techniques to manage overwhelming emotions. Children and teens engage in movement, arts, and expressive activities that make healthy coping both accessible and enjoyable. Younger participants are introduced to concrete tools such as breathing exercises, physical movement, and positive self-talk to navigate strong emotions, while interactive sessions help them set goals, build motivation, and celebrate their progress. Additional workshops guide children in developing friendship skills, understanding consent, and establishing safe boundaries. Teens receive support in recognizing unsafe situations, identifying trusted adults, and creating personalized safety plans, while also building resilience, practicing coping strategies, and strengthening a growth mindset to navigate everyday challenges with confidence.

 

Identity, Belonging, and Inclusion

 

These spaces honor identity, culture, and the many ways to be human by creating supportive environments where young people can explore who they are and how they relate to the world. Participants engage in discussions and activities that encourage self-acceptance, confidence, and a deeper understanding of identity. Youth who identify as LGBTQIA+, as well as allies, are offered affirming opportunities to strengthen self-worth and build supportive peer connections. Workshops help teens reflect on their values, culture, and personal narratives through storytelling, art, and open conversation. Additional sessions teach healthy digital habits, focusing on online safety, boundaries, and mental wellness in a technology-driven world. Classes exploring the diversity of human brains and bodies invite participants to learn about neurodiversity, physical differences, and common health conditions with an emphasis on empathy, curiosity, and respect.

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Life Skills, Independence, and Workforce Development

 

Our life skills, independence, and workforce development offerings provide practical guidance that helps young people and adults build stability and prepare for the future. Participants strengthen communication, conflict management, decision-making, and social skills as part of their readiness for adulthood. Young adults receive hands-on support with housing basics, budgeting, employment preparation, time management, and self-advocacy. Additional sessions focus on resume building, interview practice, identifying personal strengths, and navigating workplace communication. Extended-format classes for emerging adults provide deeper instruction in budgeting, daily organization, communication, and other essential tools for successfully navigating early adulthood.

 

Financial Literacy for Youth and Families

 

Our financial literacy offerings use clear, accessible language and interactive learning to help families and youth build confidence in managing money. Participants learn the fundamentals of budgeting, credit building, saving, and understanding everyday expenses such as bills and rent. Younger children are introduced to basic financial concepts through stories and games that make learning engaging and age-appropriate. As children grow, they explore earning, saving, and making thoughtful spending choices, followed by deeper lessons on income, budgeting, and distinguishing needs from wants during the middle school years. Teens receive practical guidance on paychecks, banking, credit basics, and planning for their financial futures, ensuring they gain the knowledge and skills needed to make informed, responsible decisions.

 

Enrichment Labs and Story-Based Learning

 

These programs use storytelling and media to deepen emotional insight and social skills, creating engaging spaces where youth can learn through familiar stories and shared experiences. One offering uses films to spark meaningful conversations about feelings, friendships, and decision-making in an extended, interactive format. Another uses a well-known fantasy series to explore themes such as bravery, friendship, grief, and identity in developmentally appropriate ways. Additional clubs and story-based enrichment experiences will be added soon, expanding opportunities for youth to connect, reflect, and grow through creative and narrative-based learning.

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How Our Programs Work

 

Across all programs, participants can expect sessions ranging from one to two hours, offered in both online and in-person formats, with age-appropriate groups for children, teens, and young adults. Each experience incorporates slides, handouts, stories, and simple activities to support engagement and learning. Facilitation is trauma-informed, strengths-based, and inclusive, ensuring that all participants feel supported and respected. Every session is designed to provide practical strategies that families can use immediately in daily life. Growth is tracked through pre- and post-check-ins, reflection, and participant feedback, with an emphasis on measurable real-world outcomes such as increased confidence, skill development, and meaningful connection.

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Partner With Grounded Stars

 

Grounded Stars collaborates with a wide network of partners, including foster cares, schools, after-school programs, shelters, housing providers, community-based organizations, justice and reentry programs, faith-based or grassroots organizations, and more. Through these partnerships, we work to ensure that youth and families receive coordinated, accessible support that meets their unique needs. By integrating our programs within community settings, we help create environments where emotional safety, skill-building, and supportive relationships can thrive.

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Together with our partners, we design pathways that uplift youth facing behavior challenges, bullying, or identity-related stress, offering them tools to navigate their experiences with confidence and resilience. We also support caregivers who are navigating complex systems or moments of crisis, providing clear guidance and practical strategies that reduce overwhelm and strengthen their capacity to advocate for their families. Our work helps families heal from trauma, maintain meaningful connections through separation or reunification, and build the life skills, financial knowledge, and workforce readiness needed to break long-standing cycles of instability.

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Whether you are a caregiver seeking resources, a young person looking for affirming support, or an organizational partner aiming to strengthen community services, Grounded Stars is committed to walking alongside you with trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and accessible programming designed to meet real-world challenges with compassion and clarity.

 

Get Connected

 

Whether you are seeking immediate support, long-term guidance, or skill-building opportunities for youth, we invite you to connect with Grounded Stars LLC and take the next step toward stability, confidence, and healing. You can explore a range of program options designed for families and organizations, learn more about our retail offerings and reinvestment model, or schedule a consultation to create a customized pathway that meets your unique needs. Together, we can build grounded, hopeful spaces where young people and families feel seen, supported, and empowered to imagine new possibilities for their futures.

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questions email: support@groundedstars.bolddesk.com