Helping Children Cope With Grief

Children coping with grief often require support as they may lack the emotional maturity and coping skills to handle their feelings. For example, upon experiencing the death of a loved one, they might feel overwhelmed with sadness or anger. Providing appropriate support, including counseling and therapy, is important for helping them feel better. The Helping Children Cope With Grief handout supports clients in their healing process by suggesting effective strategies for caring adults to follow. To make clients feel understood, the handout features the acronym SUPPORT with helpful explanations. Through this resource, children and teens may feel validated in their emotions and receive personalized support. To ensure they can express their thoughts and feelings, consider pairing the tips from the handout with supportive activities. Encourage activities such as writing letters, creating memory bracelets, and expressing emotions through music or singing. This handout can be found in our Grief And Loss Handouts Bundle, which includes 13 pages of psychoeducation and coping strategies to support individuals going through loss. *This item is an instant digital download. A link to download your files will be emailed to you once payment is confirmed. Want more resources like this? Check out our full catalog of grief worksheets and handouts. References: Edgar-Bailey, M., & Kress, V. (2010). Resolving child and adolescent traumatic grief: Creative techniques and interventions. Journal of Creativity in Mental Health, 5(2), 158-176. https://doi.org/10.1080/15401383.2010.485090 Kuehn, Philip D. (2013). Cultural Coping Strategies and their Connection to Grief Therapy Modalities for Children: An Investigation into Current Knowledge and Practice. Retrieved from Sophia, the St. Catherine University repository website: https://sophia.stkate.edu/msw_papers/215 Wessel, M. A. (1978). The grieving child. Clinical Pediatrics, 17(7), 559-568. https://doi.org/10.1177/000992287801700704