Grief Therapy for Children and Teenagers

When a child experiences the death of someone close to them, it can have a profound effect on their emotions, behavior, cognitive processing, and relationships. Grief can feel like a wave. One moment, a child may be moving along smoothly on a calm sea. In the next, they may be hit with a powerful wave of grief.

My job as a therapist is not to “fix” grief. I cannot make the loss go away. Rather, I aim to help children build a metaphorical boat strong enough to carry them through even the strongest waves of grief. I help children process their experiences, practice coping strategies, and build supportive relationships as they adjust to a new normal. Over time, grief may become less all-consuming and instead become one part of their larger journey through the beautiful, challenging, and unpredictable oceans of life.

Children and teenagers I work with may: 

  • find it challenging to regulate their emotions

  • no longer enjoy things they previously enjoyed

  • have difficulty separating from a parent or caregiver

  • become withdrawn or not want to speak about the person who has died

  • speak about the person who has died often and need a space to process their experience of loss and grief

  • struggle with anticipatory grief while a loved one is still living and approaching end-of-life

Through talk therapy, role play, writing, play, imagination, and creativity, my clients have an opportunity to:

share their unique grief story

express emotions in creative ways

better understand their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors by reflecting on the creative process

practice coping strategies for stressful times through role play, writing, and exploring what might help

regain a sense of safety and control by becoming the director, actor, author, and creator of their own work

learn to carry their grief, understanding that grief is not something to be “fixed,” but something that can become part of their life story

adjust to a “new normal,” acknowledging the role the person who died has played in their life and how life has changed since the death

connect with people who can support them

remember and maintain a connection with the person who has died

SHALL WE BEGIN? Schedule a 15 minute introduction with Rebecca to get started.

I SEE CHILDREN AND TEENAGERS IN-PERSON IN PORT WASHINGTON, NEW YORK AND THROUGH TELEHEALTH WITHIN NEW YORK STATE.