Supporting Grieving Children through "Grief Gardening"

Overview:

Sad Isn’t Bad is a free grief support program for children and their families in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. In this session, John Hegg and Katherine Olson will provide background on this local program and also lead participants in an examination of the topic of “grief gardening,” a key concept taken from Dr. Alan Wolfelt’s book, Companioning The Grieving Child: A Soulful Guide for Caregivers.

Regarding “grief gardening,” Dr. Wolfelt writes: “Unlike the medical model of bereavement care, in which grief is treated as a sickness that needs to be cured, grief gardeners believe that grief is organic. Grief gardeners do not cure the grieving child; instead we create conditions that allow the bereaved child to mourn. Our work is more art than science, more heart than head.  The grieving child is not our patient but instead our companion.”

CE’s: NHA & SW

Presenter:

John Hegg and Katherine Olson represent Sad Isn’t Bad, a free grief support program for children and their families in Sioux Falls

Registration: