On Childhood Bereavement: Best Practices Supporting Grieving Children and their Families

May 15th, 2020

Zoom with Us!
11:30am – 1:30pm

This Interface event is FREE. However, we are asking our members to make a donation to Boulder Community Health Foundation’s “Feed The Frontlines Boulder” which benefits both local restaurants and health care workers by delivering meals to those working on the frontlines of the pandemic. Thank You. Any amount appreciated!

Click the “add to cart” button to donate (no registration necessary).

To Join the Zoom Meeting: 

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85841529637

Brian Keating MA, LPC, CGPPrivate practice, Boulder COHost: Barry Erdman

About The Presentation

Drawing from the Childhood Bereavement Estimation Model (CBEM) developed by Judi’s House/JAG Institute, 1 in 16 children in Colorado will experience the death of a parent or sibling before the age of 18. The topic of childhood bereavement often presents as an unspoken area of suffering that impacts the community throughout various faiths and spiritual disciplines. Many bereaved children suffer from mis-diagnosis, experiences of invalidation, and the consequence of unhelpful choices due to maladaptive coping skills.

This presentation aims to provide information to the community on how to support the needs of grieving children. Topics covered include how grief presents throughout the different developmental stages of children; what to expect as typical developmental behavior vs. grief reactions; why intentional language is important in talking about death and dying, and how to have conversations about illnesses and true cause of death. Special attention will be given on how to support children and families grieving during the pandemic and how to keep emotional connections when the physical presence of community is absent.

About the Presenter

Brian Keating MA, LPC, CGP is a member of the National Alliance for Grieving Children and a Community Pathfinders Provider through Judi’s House/JAG Institute. Since the start of his career as a psychotherapist he has been committed to supporting children and families impacted by a death-loss. Drawing from an integrated approach of play therapy, mindfulness-based practices, and attachment theory, Brian approaches bereavement from a non-diagnostic model that supports grieving children in how to integrate the death of a significant person in their lives in a way that is healthy and meaningful.

Additional Resources

This video presentation was recorded and can be viewed at: https://youtu.be/ofG8JgPacu4

Community Resources:

Judi’s House/JAG Institute – Denver, CO
https://www.judishouse.org/cbem

Grief Support Network – Boulder, CO
https://griefsupportnet.org/

Camp Kesem at University of Colorado Boulder
https://www.campkesem.org/find-a-camp/camp-kesem-at-university-of-colorado-boulder

Second Wind Fund of Boulder County
https://www.swfbc.org

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