Creative Counseling for Children: Managing Grief and Loss

THE FEEL BETTER BAG

The following is a video by Liana Lowenstein. In this video, she describes how a "Feel Better Bag" can help to teach children coping skills to aid in the grieving process. This also can be very helpful for children who have suffered from abuse or trauma. 

THE FAMILY TREE

Making a family tree with child clients can be very helpful. The child creates leaves with the names of their family members. On the branches of the tree, the child will add the names of family members/close friends who are current living, or still part of their lives. The fallen leaves represent members of the family who have passed on, or who have left the family due to divorce. This may include any pets that may have passed on.
Tip: Have the client choose a color that represents how they feel toward that member of the family. For example: Red leaves may represent anger, green for jealousy, and so on.

TRACE YOUR FEELINGS

This activity can help the child to connect where they feel different emotions in their bodies. Have the child lie down on a large peace of paper and trace the child. Have the child choose a color to identify each emotion they have been feeling (Sadness, Anger, Happiness...). Have the child identify where in their body they feel each emotion.
Tip: If the child feels most of the emotions in their "head", you could connect this to CBT/REBT techniques.