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Helping Children Cope with Loss

Children are resilient by nature, and within supportive family and community systems they successfully negotiate all types of challenging

Situations. However, we all experience circumstances in our lives that are more complex than others, situations when we could use some additional support and resources to help us through the difficult times. The following are suggestions to help children going through experiences grief, loss, and/or transition.

Children do about as well as the grown-ups in their lives. Therefore, the first and most important factor is to consistently take care of yourself (on all levels) so you may serve as a role model, and truly be available to your children during the difficult times. Both you and your children should:

· Get plenty of rest;
· Eat regular, nutritious meals;
· Drink water, water, and more water;
· Exercise, play, and have fun together regularly;
· Surround yourself with good friends, good music, and good stories;
· Regularly do things that are fun, healthy, relaxing and pleasurable;
· Draw from your faith, traditions, and culture;
· Limit your exposure to “bad news”- turn OFF the TV;
·Keep routines, but remain flexible as different needs arise;
· Focus on what you can do- things within your control- and take care of them;
· Keep your sense of humor…

Honestly and directly address concerns of children. Do you want them to get the information from overheard telephone conversations, from the media, or from other kids on the playground? You are the greatest resource:

· Listen.   Listen.   Listen some more.
· Answer the questions they ask, even the difficult ones.
· Never lie to a child.
· Go at their pace and use language that they will understand.
· Offer multiple ways for them to express their experience. Talking, drawing, music, movement, play, interacting with peers, time spent with friends, family, and pets as well as “alone time” are all models of healing.
· Physical activities help them relieve stress. For children, Play = healing.
· Children of different ages and development stages will respond differently. Expect and accept a wide range of common reactions.
· Bedtime, school time, and other times of separation may be difficult. Make a plan together to best address these situations.
· Routines can be especially stabilizing, yet be open to necessary changes in responsibilities during times of transition.
· Reassure and actively show them they are loved and that they will be taken care of. Physical contact is often comforting to a child.
· If it is not too big for you, it will not be too big for them.

More Coping With Loss Articles

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How To Cope With Grief and Loss Through Grief Counseling and Life Coaching

Some of the Most Common Ways to Cope With Grief and Loss are Grief Counseling and Life Coaching

What is Grief?

Grief is a human way to deal with the feelings of love that we believe have ended.  Another way of defining grief is the normal and natural reaction to significant emotional loss of any kind.

There is no one way to grieve. As we all are individual, we all grieve different and often turn towards grief groups. Also, our society at large does not have a general way to honor grief. Since we are a society that is always struggling with time management and high demands, taking time to grieve or knowing how to grieve is not part of our system. However, religion often fills this gap in our society.

Each religion has rituals to follow for grief and how to grieve a loss. These rituals can provide us with a way to get through the initial shock of grief, but as many people know who have been through a loss, that when the rituals of religion end there is still grief and the adjustment of loss with which to deal.

There are many incorrect ideas about grief such as: “time will heal” or the “Five Stages of Grief”. These are only two of the many “myths about grief” that we are taught to believe and can actually prevent us from moving beyond our pain.

How Can Grief Counseling Help?

Funeral Directors wear numerous hats, and are expected to accomplish many important things in a short period of time, while facing many funeral planning challenges. Families are grieving and have important decisions to make under much duress. They may often expect a degree of emotional support that some Funeral Directors may not have the time or skills to be able to provide.

Through grief counseling and working with a Life Coach, these added levels of emotional support and expertise can very often help families bridge and offer the help that most families are searching for.

Five Powerful Ways a Life Coach Can Help Families:

1.  Offer the key support needed to get through this sorrowful time.
2.  Help families develop a short term, “what’s next”, plan for their lives.
3.  Help families establish new or revised long term life goals pertaining to work, school, relationships, hobbies and general wellness.
4.  Provide families with hope, motivation and direction to take control of their lives in the new role that they inherited as a result of their loss.
5.  A life coach is someone who listens, since sometimes that is what is most needed in a time of sorrow and confusion.

Grief Counseling is one of the fastest growing trends in self improvement, wellness and life in general. By offering this level of grief support and Life Coaching services; you are keeping your business relevant, and fulfilling your potential to better serve your families.

Coaching is not therapy or counseling. A therapist would be recommended if your client is particularly overwhelmed and unable to cope with their grief.  Another popular and healing option is to consider using grief message boards.

What is a Grief Recovery Outreach Program?

If you have experienced one or more losses, and you wish to move beyond the pain, this type of program offers step by step actions that will help you overcome your grief. It is the only program of its kind and has helped thousands of people worldwide recover from their heartbreak.

In summary, there are many ways to work through things like grief, loss, or even a crisis. There is help available to those who are grieving a loss, and we strongly suggest you look into seeking professional help through some of these excellent options.

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