Grief Counseling in Philadelphia Area, PA
Grieving is a normal part of life. It's messy, painful, and unpredictable. There is no prescribed course. Each person's reactions are based on a host of factors. It may involve relationships with the departed, memories, prior losses, and current support.
If Grief is so normal why does my kid need to see you? Won't they just get over it in time?
Some kids do adjust without help, and some need support. Whether your child needs help isn't a flaw. Grief is different for each person. Siblings in the same household may have a variety of reactions. Time and a little space may be helpful for some, whereas others may need a lot of support and check-ins.
Grief Therapy Can Help Your Kid or Teen Process Their Loss
Children can start the healing process when allowed to play a part in grieving. Withholding crucial information can be confusing and painful for them. Discussion about death, dying, or even relationship changes are often muted with euphemisms. In an attempt to shield children from more pain you may tell them grandma passed away. Or, keep them from the funeral, or tell them the dog ran away, etc. We get it! Grief is very hard to talk about.
Reasons Why Your Child or Adolescent Should Start Counseling After a Loss
Grief doesn't have a time limit. Unaddressed and unresolved losses can still cause grief. They can even affect a more recent loss. Thus, causing a more severe response that calls for grief counseling.
Children process the concepts of death in different ways. This is because they are still learning about the world. How adults respond to the loss shapes the child's view of death.
Death isn't the only cause of grief. Other events can cause grief including the impending death of a loved one, divorce, moving away, and incarceration of loved ones.
Therapists at Amel Counseling & Consulting Can Help
Our counselors know how to work with families, children, and teens who have experienced a loss in their lives and are in need of a safe space to discuss it, while feeling acknowledged and supported. Moreover, our Child/Adolescent grief and loss therapists will be able to provide tools and coping skills to manage the grief in a way that may be more healthy than it was without professional guidance.
Parents and other caregivers can also have help starting tough conversations with their children.
Children get a neutral space to talk about their loss. To be frank, they often know or pick up on a lot more than you think. They have a lot of stuff to process in grief counseling!
The Amel Approach to Grief and Loss Therapy
The grieving process isn't linear. Our caring child therapists understand this and have helped many kids and teens find peace after loss. Our team at Amel work closely with parents and can provide parent training sessions for a family who is struggling with adapting to a loss. We all utilize the strengths-based approach, where we focus on your family’s and children’s best qualities in a judgement-free environment. This is important in order to provide a sense of hope and encouragement to each therapy session.
Additionally, our grief counselors can help your kid or teen communicate their feelings of grief through play and art therapy.
Lastly, our grief therapists may utilize Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and mindfulness techniques in order to show your kid or teen that the way they think about a situation directly affects the way they behave and how they feel. We will try to promote focusing on all of the happy memories while also allowing them to feel their feelings and appreciate all of their different emotions.
Don’t Hesitate to Reach Out for Grief Counseling
Perhaps you feel like it is too soon, or some days are better than others for your child. The grieving process isn't linear. Our caring therapists understand this and have supported many clients in finding peace. We offer our therapy services from our Philadelphia, PA-based therapy practice.
Perhaps you feel like there is so much on your plate following the loss, and you do not have the time. Luckily, Amel Counseling & Consulting provides online therapy which can cut back the amount of time you would need to set aside to bring your family, child, or teen to grief therapy.
To start your therapy journey, please follow these steps:
Meet with a caring therapist
Start coping with grief and start living a full life!
Other Services Offered with Amel Therapy
Grief counseling isn’t the only service offered at our Philadelphia, PA-based therapy practice. We also offer online therapy, trauma therapy, child therapy, play therapy, counseling for teens, therapy for teens and kids of color, and support for parents. Feel free to learn more about parent coaching and our group offerings as well. This includes the worry warriors, culturally confident teen group, and our teen girls group!