Navigating Grief

Audience: Therapists, counselors, caregivers, family service workers, school professionals, and helping professionals.

Grief and loss are universal yet deeply personal experiences. Many young people we support face significant grief and loss, whether as a presenting issue or underlying other challenges. Additionally, many people we support experience complex grief- such as ambiguous loss, cumulative losses, and disenfranchised grief, which further impacts their experiences of loss. Unresolved loss can exacerbate mental health struggles and contribute to unhelpful coping mechanisms. This workshop is designed to enhance the skills of helping professionals by deepening their understanding of grief and equipping them with practical tools to support children, youth, (and adults) who are grieving. Participants will explore theoretical frameworks, symptoms and triggers of grief, and learn how to address grief in a developmentally appropriate context. The afternoon will include creative, narrative, and somatic strategies and interventions to supporting grief with children and youth.