This webinar is part of an ongoing series that will provide a foundation of introductory information for anyone working with or providing support to children, teens, and families who may be grieving. This series is not progressive; sessions can be viewed in any order.

Kids and teens often process grief through the lens of the media they consume, including superheroes, TV shows, movies, video games, and social media trends. By incorporating these familiar characters and stories into grief programming, facilitators can make activities more relatable and engaging. This session explores practical ways to integrate pop culture into grief curriculum, such as using superhero resilience metaphors, TikTok-inspired activities, or movie clips as discussion starters. Participants will engage in hands-on examples of adapting familiar stories into therapeutic activities while ensuring sensitivity and inclusivity. Attendees will leave with creative tools to better meet young people where they are, making group sessions both meaningful and memorable.

Continuing Education (CE) credits are not available for this webinar.
Target Audience: Students, interns, individuals entering the field of childhood bereavement, new staff members, new counselors, group facilitators, volunteers, anyone who wants to invest in their practice.
Instructional Level: Basic – This best describes a topic or issue that the prospective audience is encountering for the first time in a meaningful way.
Format: Live Interactive Webinar

Cost: Free for NACG Members; Non-Members: $20 per session, $50 for Whole Series

Not currently a member? Become a NACG member today! Your membership will provide access to free monthly webinars with CEs on current topics to support you in your work, discounts on educational events, access to all webinar playbacks, and more. To learn more and become a member to access this webinar for no additional cost, visit HERE →

Objectives:

After attending this webinar, participants will be able to:

• Identify at least three benefits of incorporating pop culture references into grief programming.
• Design one activity using a superhero, movie, or social media trend to support grief expression.
• Adapt pop culture integration strategies for different age groups.
• Implement at least two strategies that strengthen engagement and reduce chaos in group settings.

Speaker Bios:

Jennifer Frush came on board as outreach and event coordinator in the summer of 2018. Her passion and energy helped increase New Hope’s reach and impact, leading to her taking on the position of interim and then full Executive Director in January of 2020. She participates in the National Alliance for Children’s Grief online learning and webinars and other training. Jennifer sits on the following councils: Northville Community Cares, Ascension Community Health Advisory Committee, Community Mental Health Association through St. Mary Mercy Hospital’s Let’s Continue the Conversation Committee. She collaborates with eight Wayne Western School Districts. She is a trained facilitator for The Leader in Me school programs. She developed and led training for The Seven Habits of Highly Successful Families for Marine Elementary School. Additionally, Hegira Health invited Jennifer to speak at their Focus on Zero suicide prevention conference and to moderate their celebrity panel. Like other staff and volunteers, she received Trauma Informed Training and QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) Crisis Training, attended and participated in several NACG Grief Conferences, and presented at the 2024 and 2025 NACG Grief Conference. Jennifer conducts Grief Sensitivity Training, Childhood Bereavement Training, Facilitator Training, and more serving as the Executive Director.

Laurel Neitling joined New Hope in July 2023 as the Circles of Hope Program Manager and transitioned to the role of Development and Communications Manager in 2025. She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in management from Central Michigan University and completed her MBA at Western Governors University in 2024. Before joining the staff team, Laurel volunteered with New Hope as a support group facilitator and has presented at numerous conferences and outreach events, including the 2024 and 2025 NACG National Symposium on Children’s Grief. She is grateful for the opportunity to work alongside New Hope’s dedicated volunteers and staff to provide compassionate grief support services to the community.

Refund/cancellation policy: If you need to cancel your registration, please contact Megan Lopez at megan.lopez@childrengrieve.org or at (432) 288-4688. Please note that no refunds will be given.

To request accessibility accommodations: The National Alliance for Children’s Grief is committed to providing universal access to all our events. Please contact Megan Lopez at megan.lopez@childrengrieve.org or at (432) 288-4688 to request disability accommodations. Advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility needs.