Grief Counseling for Children
Grief Counseling
Children often find it hard to cope with grief, no matter the cause of their loss. If your child is grieving, they may need help to move on. There are many ways someone can support a grieving child, one of the best being professional therapy.
Read on as Washington Psychological Wellness explores grief and how it may affect your child.
What is Grief?
Grief is the emotional response to loss, sometimes involving two phases of mourning. Unlike sadness, which is caused by changes in your life, grief results from an experienced loss.
The two most common causes for children to feel overwhelming grief are death and divorce. Either way, grief can cause both physical and emotional symptoms in your child. It involves various feelings that may include: sadness, anger, and guilt. The intensity of these feelings varies from person to person, but the trauma of the loss may always be present.
How can Grief Affect a Child?
If your child has experienced the death of someone close to them or parental divorce, they may experience a range of physical and emotional symptoms. Grief can manifest itself in children in countless ways, from sleeping and eating disturbances to depression, anxiety, and irritability. These children may also act out more frequently, and their grades may suffer as a result.
Children may also feel a sense of isolation, making it harder to cope with the loss. However, with professional help and counseling, children gradually find their ability to function usually returns as they begin to move on from the tragedy.
How Can Therapy Help Your Child Cope With Grief?
Children dealing with grief often need help to regain their life’s balance, which is where therapy can be invaluable. Therapy can help children cope with their grief by assisting them in understanding what has happened to them and the different ways they can move forward.
In grief counseling, children can learn the skills and emotional tools they need to better understand their loss and how their lives will be different. These sessions may involve your child having to talk out or play out their feelings to begin to get back to everyday life, one where they can cope with their loss.
Ready To Seek Help?
At Washington Psychological Wellness, we understand the tremendous impact grief can have on you, your child, and your family. Our team of highly skilled mental health professionals is here to help your child cope with grief in a kind, inviting, and warm environment.
Ready to seek help? Contact Washington Psychological Wellness today for a complimentary 15-minute initial consultation to see how grief therapy can help you, your child, and your family today!