Helping Children Heal After Loss: How Psychodynamic Counselling Supports Grief
By Ellen Laughlin, Psychotherapist at Kids' Therapy Works
Losing someone you love can feel very sad and painful. Sometimes the sadness feels so big that it becomes hard to know what to do, or how to feel better. Your child may feel confused, angry, lonely, or stuck in their feelings. These are normal responses to loss, and many children go through them.
Talking to a therapist can help your child begin to make sense of what they're feeling, and feel less alone.
What Is Grief?
Grief is what we feel when we lose someone or something important to us. It can happen after the death of a loved one, but also after the loss of a friendship, a family change such as separation or divorce, or another significant life event.
When a child is grieving, they may:
Feel very sad or worried
Cry more than usual
Feel angry or confused
Have trouble sleeping or eating
Want to be alone
Find it hard to concentrate at school
Everyone experiences grief differently, and there is no right or wrong way to feel.
How Counselling Can Help
Psychodynamic counselling gives children a safe, confidential space to talk about their feelings, memories, and experiences. Sometimes difficult emotions can make grief feel even heavier. Being able to express those feelings without judgement can help children begin to understand themselves and what they're going through.
Counselling can help children:
Express their feelings safely
Understand why they feel certain emotions
Feel supported and less alone
Begin, gradually, to heal
What to Expect Over Time
Grief is a journey, and healing doesn't happen overnight. Counselling helps children understand that it's okay to feel a wide range of emotions, including moments of happiness alongside sadness. All of these feelings are part of healing.
When to Seek Support
If your child's grief is affecting their daily life – their sleep, their friendships, their school – it may be worth speaking to someone. It's okay to ask for help, and it's okay to take things one day at a time.
If you'd like to find out more, you can get in touch via the enquiry form on our counselling page.
Grief counselling at Kids' Therapy Works
If your child has experienced a loss and could benefit from some extra support, Kids' Therapy Works Counselling offers a safe and confidential space where children and young people can explore their feelings at their own pace.
Ellen Laughlin holds an MA in Psychodynamic Counselling and Psychotherapy and works with children and young people experiencing grief, bereavement, anxiety, emotional difficulties, and relationship challenges. She is based at Kids' Therapy Works, Lakelands, Stanway, Colchester.
This post is part of the Children's Counselling Explained series, written to help parents understand the support available for their child's emotional wellbeing.