BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//NACG - ECPv6.15.20//NONSGML v1.0//EN
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
METHOD:PUBLISH
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://nacg.org
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for NACG
REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H
X-Robots-Tag:noindex
X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H
BEGIN:VTIMEZONE
TZID:America/New_York
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20250309T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20251102T060000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20260308T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20261101T060000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20270314T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20271107T060000
END:STANDARD
END:VTIMEZONE
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260924T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260924T133000
DTSTAMP:20260415T031738
CREATED:20260112T202555Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260121T195302Z
UID:14904-1790251200-1790256600@nacg.org
SUMMARY:Beyond the Behavior: Relationship-Based Behavior Management for Children Grieving
DESCRIPTION:This training provides participants with practical strategies for understanding and managing the range of behaviors exhibited by children who are grieving. Grief can manifest differently in children than in adults\, often presenting as behavioral changes that can be challenging for caregivers and educators. This training will explore the unique ways children process grief at different developmental stages\, common behavioral manifestations of grief (e.g.\, aggression\, withdrawal\, regression)\, and effective techniques for providing support. Participants will learn how to create a safe and supportive environment\, utilize communication strategies that promote emotional expression\, and implement behavior management techniques tailored to the specific needs of grieving children. The training will also address self-care strategies for adults supporting grieving children\, emphasizing the importance of recognizing and managing their own emotional responses. By the end of this training\, participants will be equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to compassionately and effectively support grieving children through their behavioral challenges\, fostering healthy emotional development and resilience. \n  \nContinuing Education (CE) Credits: 1.5 continuing education credits available\nTarget Audience: Counselors\, Social workers\, Bereavement support professionals\, school professionals\nInstructional Level: Intermediate – This best describes a topic or issue that the audience likely has a theoretical foundation for understanding and/or a working knowledge\nFormat: Live Interactive Webinar \nCost: Free for NACG Members; $60 for Guests without CEs\, $75 for Guests with CEs \n     \nNot 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 → \n  \nAfter attending this webinar\, participants will be able to: \n\nSummarize the importance of building strong\, trusting relationships with grieving children and demonstrate at least one technique for fostering such relationships.\nIdentify at least two communication and support strategies to create a safe and supportive environment for grieving children.\nFormulate intervention and de-escalation techniques\, matched to the intensity of the situation\, using a tiered response.\n\n  \nSpeaker Bio:\nKristen Huber MS\, LPC\, FT\, became the Volunteer Services Coordinator at the Highmark Caring Place facility in Erie in April of 2014. Since 1996\, Kristen has been working with and advocating for children who have experienced trauma in their lives. She has trained and supervised master level clinicians and has done numerous trainings on helping people understand how trauma effects a child’s development and their ability to effectively interact with those around them. Kristen has her own private practice and has been a licensed professional counselor since 2006. She has worked with children and adults that present with a variety of mental health issues.  Most of her work is focused on helping people with depression\, anxiety\, relationship issues\, bereavement/loss and trauma. In addition to being an LPC\, she has been a Certified Thanatologist since 2018. She then received her Fellow in Thanatology in 2022. \nMelissa Reagan\, MSW\, LSW\, CT\,  has a Bachelor’s of the Arts degree in psychology from Goucher College and a Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania. She is a licensed social worker in the state of Pennsylvania and has a Certificate in Thanatology. Melissa currently works at the Highmark Caring Place in Camp Hill as the Volunteer Services Coordinator and Senior Grief & Clinical Services Specialist. Prior to her current role\, Melissa worked in children’s behavioral and mental health in various roles and capacities — case manager\, outpatient therapist\, quality services and clinical care management.  Her experience encompasses direct care provision alongside collaborative work with treatment teams\, to ensure that each child’s mental and behavioral health needs were met. In her current role\, she continues to use clinical and practical skills gained through previous experience to meet the unique needs of children who are grieving. \n  \n \nSupported by the philanthropic investment\nof the New York Life Foundation. \n  \nContinuing Education (CE) Provider Information:\nEach professional is responsible for the individual requirements as stipulated by their licensing agency. Please contact your individual licensing board/regulatory agency to review continuing education requirements for licensure renewal. Please note: You must attend “live” (in real-time) to earn CEs. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the CE process\, please contact Megan Lopez at megan.lopez@childrengrieve.org or at (432) 288-4688. \nThe National Alliance for Children’s Grief has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider\, ACEP No. 7221. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. The National Alliance for Children’s Grief is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. Counselors completing this course will receive 1.5 contact hours. \nThe National Alliance for Children’s Grief is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0689. Social Workers completing this course will receive 1.5 contact hours. \nThe National Alliance for Children’s Grief is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0238. Counselors completing this course will receive 1.5 contact hours. \nNational Alliance for Children’s Grief\, #1819\, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations\, not individual courses\, are approved as ACE providers.  State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. National Alliance for Children’s Grief maintains responsibility for this course.  ACE provider approval period: 07/20/2023 – 07/20/2026. Counselors completing this course will receive 1.5 continuing education credits. \nRefund/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. \nTo 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. \nAttendance policy: To earn CEs for this event\, you must attend the entirety of the event as demonstrated by your autogenerated login and logout time on the Zoom Webinar report and complete an online event evaluation within seven (7) days of the event. Please make sure you are signed into Zoom using the name that matches your professional license and not the name of your place of employment\, as there is no way to verify your attendance after the fact if your name does not appear on the Zoom Webinar report. CE certificates will be sent out within 30 days of the educational event. The link for your certificate will come from “certificates@simplecert.net” as the National Alliance for Children’s Grief. Please be sure to add this email to your “safe sender list”. The NACG is unable to process certificates after 90 days from the date of the event.  \nCE Certificate retrieval request: The NACG maintains continuing education records for at least six years from the date of completion of the educational event which include: the name and curriculum vitae of the presenter\, a record of attendance\, an outline of the course\, date\, and location of the course\, and the number of hours for completion of the course. If you attended a CE educational event and need a copy of your CE certificate\, please complete this form to obtain a copy: https://nacg.wufoo.com/forms/qfsln7r1twqpty/. Please note if the education event was more than 90 days ago\, and a required evaluation was not completed\, a certificate cannot be provided per the policy. \nGrievance policy:  To view the NACG’s Continuing Education Grievance Policy\, you can find it HERE. Please complete THIS form to share a grievance with the NACG regarding a continuing education event.
URL:https://nacg.org/event/beyond-the-behavior-relationship-based-behavior-management-for-children-grieving/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Live Interactive Webinar
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260930T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260930T133000
DTSTAMP:20260415T031738
CREATED:20251216T130936Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251216T130936Z
UID:14792-1790769600-1790775000@nacg.org
SUMMARY:Data and Evaluation Series Training #7: Visualizing and Reporting Evaluation Data
DESCRIPTION:Given limited resources and stretched capacity\, data collection procedures and program evaluation strategies at the individual program level often fall short in terms of identifying gaps in service\, areas for growth\, and program impact. Today\, philanthropic giving demands quantifiable return on investment in exchange for donations and grants. Combining nearly 20 years of experience in designing bereavement-focused evaluation protocols with the power of the CBEM\, with philanthropic support provided by the New York Life Foundation and in collaboration with the National Alliance for Children’s Grief (NACG)\, Judi’s House/JAG Institute offered a series of free basic trainings in 2022-23 to share best practices in data collection and program evaluation. \nIn 2024-2027\, JH/JAG will continue to support the field in growing their capacity for evaluation and data analysis. In this seventh workshop on Visualizing and Reporting Evaluation Data\, participants will learn about different ways to visualize data\, how to report data to various stakeholders\, and gain practical tips for using data in writing grant proposals. \nThe training structure includes a welcome/introduction\, and for each objective: content\, polls\, and examples. The presenters will utilize polls and reflections to engage participants in activities focused on the evaluation content and to orient participants to how they can apply learnings in their organization. Time will be allocated at the end of the session to review each of the three objectives\, discuss plans for application of learnings\, and answer participant questions. \n\nContinuing Education (CEs): 1.5 continuing education credits available\nTarget Audience: Counselors\, Social workers\, Bereavement support professionals\nInstructional Level: Basic – This best describes a topic or issue that the prospective audience is encountering for the first time in a meaningful way\nFormat: Live Interactive Webinar \nCost: Free for All \n\n  \nObjectives:\nBy the end of this presentation\, participants will be able to: \n\nSelect appropriate visualizations of evaluation data.\nEffectively prepare for reporting evaluation results to different stakeholders.\nUse evaluation data in writing grant proposals and reports.\n\n  \nSpeaker Bio:\nMaria Bartini\, PhD\, is the Evaluation Manager at Judi’s House/JAG Institute. With a doctoral degree in Life-Span Developmental Psychology from the University of Georgia\, she has over 20 years’ experience teaching research methods\, statistics\, and child development at the college level. In her academic career\, she also conducted evaluation research in schools\, colleges\, and youth sports organizations with the overarching goal of improving the lives of children and adolescents. In addition to heading the organization’s Childhood Bereavement Changemaker Initiative\, Maria contributes to the evaluation and research activities at Judi’s House. Her work focuses on building evaluation/data utilization capacity in the field of childhood bereavement and evaluating the impact of Judi’s House services. She can be reached at mariab@judishouse.org. \nMaddy Saunders\, MS\, works as a Research Associate at Judi’s House/JAG Institute. In her role\, she helps lead the Childhood Bereavement Changemaker expansion\, collaborating with organizations across the country to support implementation of data-informed strategies in decision-making\, program implementation\, and evaluation. Maddy holds a Master’s Degree in Applied Psychology with concentrations in Evaluation Research and Industrial/Organizational Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Stout. She can be reached at maddyv@judishouse.org. \n  \nContinuing Education (CE) Provider Information:\nEach professional is responsible for the individual requirements as stipulated by their licensing agency. Please contact your individual licensing board/regulatory agency to review continuing education requirements for licensure renewal. Please note: You must attend “live” (in real-time) to earn CEs. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the CE process\, please contact Megan Lopez at megan.lopez@childrengrieve.org or at (432) 288-4688. \nThe National Alliance for Children’s Grief has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider\, ACEP No. 7221. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. The National Alliance for Children’s Grief is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. Counselors completing this course will receive 1.5 contact hours. \nThe National Alliance for Children’s Grief is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0689. Social Workers completing this course will receive 1.5 contact hours. \nThe National Alliance for Children’s Grief is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0238. Counselors completing this course will receive 1.5 contact hours. \nNational Alliance for Children’s Grief\, #1819\, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations\, not individual courses\, are approved as ACE providers.  State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. National Alliance for Children’s Grief maintains responsibility for this course.  ACE provider approval period: 07/20/2023 – 07/20/2026. Counselors completing this course will receive 1.5 continuing education credits. \nRefund/cancellation policy: If you need to cancel your registration\, please contact Megan Lopez at megan.lopez@childrengrieve.org or (432) 288-4688. Please note that no refunds will be given. \nTo 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. \nAttendance policy: To earn CEs for this event\, you must attend the entirety of the event as demonstrated by your autogenerated login and logout time on the Zoom Webinar report and complete an online event evaluation within seven (7) days of the event. Please ensure you are signed into Zoom using the name that matches your professional license and not the name of your place of employment\, as there is no way to verify your attendance after the fact if your name does not appear on the Zoom Webinar report. CE certificates will be sent out within 30 days of the educational event. The link for your certificate will come from “certificates@simplecert.net” as the National Alliance for Children’s Grief. Please be sure to add this email to your “safe sender list”. The NACG is unable to process certificates after 90 days from the date of the event.  \nCE Certificate retrieval request: The NACG maintains continuing education records for at least six years from the date of completion of the educational event which include: the name and curriculum vitae of the presenter\, a record of attendance\, an outline of the course\, date\, and location of the course\, and the number of hours for completion of the course. If you attended a CE educational event and require a copy of your CE certificate\, please complete this form to obtain a copy: https://nacg.wufoo.com/forms/qfsln7r1twqpty/. Please note that if the education event was more than 90 days ago\, and a required evaluation was not completed\, a certificate cannot be provided per the attendance policy. \nGrievance policy: To view the NACG’s Continuing Education Grievance Policy\, you can find it HERE. Please complete THIS form to share a grievance with the NACG regarding a continuing education event.
URL:https://nacg.org/event/data-and-evaluation-series-training-7-visualizing-and-reporting-evaluation-data-2/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Live Interactive Webinar
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261013T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261013T133000
DTSTAMP:20260415T031738
CREATED:20251216T131309Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260217T135838Z
UID:14794-1791892800-1791898200@nacg.org
SUMMARY:Holding Both: Activity Series for Children in Substance-Affected Families & Substance-Related Death
DESCRIPTION:321\,566 children in the US lost a parent to substance use-related death from 2011-2021 (NIDA\, 2024\, May 8). Substance-related deaths present unique challenges that create complexities that may look beyond the traditional grief timeline. When a parent dies from substance-use related death\, suicide related to drugs or alcohol\, or complications from substance use\, children can face “disenfranchised grief”; loss that society deems less worthy of support due to stigma and moral judgment. \nThese deaths often come after years of anticipatory grief\, when children have already been mourning the parent who felt absent even while alive. What follows can be a tangle of emotions—shame from stigma\, relief\, anger\, or confusion about how to grieve someone whose substance use caused deep harm. For some\, there is ambivalence: the parent may not be missed at all\, yet the loss still reshapes their story. This complexity challenges the idea that grief always equals love\, reminding us that children’s experiences are never one-dimensional. \nThis 90-minute experiential presentation introduces four specialized activities from the Circle of Care Intervention Activity Book\, curated and developed by the presenter\, specifically for children grieving substance-related deaths. Along with familiar supportive bereavement activities\, these highlighted interventions address discovering agency amongst ambiguous loss and internalized stigma often accompanied in substance-affected families. \nUtilizing activities that address this intersectionality\, participants will have the opportunity to be fully engaged with activities and explore adaptation for their practice and programs. To extend learning beyond the session\, all attendees will receive an e-book containing 30 additional interventions for substance-affected families and children impacted by substance-related deaths\, providing a comprehensive resource for continued integration into their work. \n  \nContinuing Education (CE) Credits: 1.5 continuing education credits avaialble\nTarget Audience: Counselors\, Social workers\, Bereavement support professionals\, school professionals\nInstructional Level: Intermediate – This best describes a topic or issue that the audience likely has a theoretical foundation for understanding and/or a working knowledge\nFormat: Live Interactive Webinar \nCost: Free for NACG Members; $60 for Guests without CEs\, $75 for Guests with CEs \n     \nNot 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 → \n  \nAfter attending this webinar\, participants will be able to: \n\nIdentify and assess the intersection of unique characteristics of substance-related grief in children\, including disenfranchised grief\, post-traumatic growth\, and the intersection of ongoing trauma with death-related loss.\nImplement four specialized evidence-based activities from the guide to support children in processing contradictory feelings\, integrating complex memories\, and navigating family conflicts around memorializing substance-using adults.\nAccess a comprehensive resource guide of grief and trauma-informed activities that can be adapted and implemented in individual practice\, group settings\, or organizational programming for children affected by substance-related death and family dysfunction\n\n  \nSpeaker Bio:\nJessica Porte\, MA\, is a grief educator\, consultant\, and founder of Wayfinder Family Co.\, dedicated to supporting children\, families\, and organizations navigating the complex emotional impact of loss\, substance use\, and transition. With over 14 years in the nonprofit sector\, she began her career in hospice running and supporting school programs\, community grief groups\, and bereavement camps for children. In addition\, she spent over six years with Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation’s Children’s Program as a Children’s Counselor\, supporting youth impacted by a loved one’s substance use disorder\, and now consults and trains with other wrap-around and treatment programs. \nCentral to Jessica’s work is recognizing that systems meant to support children and families must be healthy\, accessible\, and responsive to community gaps. She designs programs\, leadership strategies\, and training initiatives that strengthen organizational resilience while fostering psychologically safe spaces for staff and families alike. \nCertified in Psychological First Aid and trained in LEGO® Serious Play®\, Jessica blends thanatology\, psychology\, and innovative learning methods to transform grief from a hidden cost into a pathway for connection\, growth\, and adaptation. She has supported communities recovering from crises and leads statewide initiatives like Illinois’ Circle of Care\, helping organizations better serve families affected by substance use-related loss. \n  \n \nSupported by the philanthropic investment\nof the New York Life Foundation. \n  \nContinuing Education (CE) Provider Information:\nEach professional is responsible for the individual requirements as stipulated by their licensing agency. Please contact your individual licensing board/regulatory agency to review continuing education requirements for licensure renewal. Please note: You must attend “live” (in real-time) to earn CEs. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the CE process\, please contact Megan Lopez at megan.lopez@childrengrieve.org or at (432) 288-4688. \nThe National Alliance for Children’s Grief has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider\, ACEP No. 7221. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. The National Alliance for Children’s Grief is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. Counselors completing this course will receive 1.5 contact hours. \nThe National Alliance for Children’s Grief is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0689. Social Workers completing this course will receive 1.5 contact hours. \nThe National Alliance for Children’s Grief is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0238. Counselors completing this course will receive 1.5 contact hours. \nNational Alliance for Children’s Grief\, #1819\, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations\, not individual courses\, are approved as ACE providers.  State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. National Alliance for Children’s Grief maintains responsibility for this course.  ACE provider approval period: 07/20/2023 – 07/20/2026. Counselors completing this course will receive 1.5 continuing education credits. \nRefund/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. \nTo 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. \nAttendance policy: To earn CEs for this event\, you must attend the entirety of the event as demonstrated by your autogenerated login and logout time on the Zoom Webinar report and complete an online event evaluation within seven (7) days of the event. Please make sure you are signed into Zoom using the name that matches your professional license and not the name of your place of employment\, as there is no way to verify your attendance after the fact if your name does not appear on the Zoom Webinar report. CE certificates will be sent out within 30 days of the educational event. The link for your certificate will come from “certificates@simplecert.net” as the National Alliance for Children’s Grief. Please be sure to add this email to your “safe sender list”. The NACG is unable to process certificates after 90 days from the date of the event.  \nCE Certificate retrieval request: The NACG maintains continuing education records for at least six years from the date of completion of the educational event which include: the name and curriculum vitae of the presenter\, a record of attendance\, an outline of the course\, date\, and location of the course\, and the number of hours for completion of the course. If you attended a CE educational event and need a copy of your CE certificate\, please complete this form to obtain a copy: https://nacg.wufoo.com/forms/qfsln7r1twqpty/. Please note if the education event was more than 90 days ago\, and a required evaluation was not completed\, a certificate cannot be provided per the policy. \nGrievance policy:  To view the NACG’s Continuing Education Grievance Policy\, you can find it HERE. Please complete THIS form to share a grievance with the NACG regarding a continuing education event.
URL:https://nacg.org/event/holding-both-activity-series-for-children-in-substance-affected-families-substance-related-death/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Live Interactive Webinar
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261023T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261023T130000
DTSTAMP:20260415T031738
CREATED:20251216T131506Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251216T131506Z
UID:14799-1792756800-1792760400@nacg.org
SUMMARY:Introduction to Grief Support Series | Heroes\, Hashtags\, and Healing: Using Pop Culture to Connect with Grieving Kids and Teens
DESCRIPTION: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. \nKids 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. \n  \nContinuing Education (CE) credits are not available for this webinar.\nTarget 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.\nInstructional Level: Basic – This best describes a topic or issue that the prospective audience is encountering for the first time in a meaningful way.\nFormat: Live Interactive Webinar \nCost: Free for NACG Members; Non-Members: $20 per session\, $50 for Whole Series \n       \nNot 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 → \n  \nObjectives:\nAfter attending this webinar\, participants will be able to: \n\nIdentify at least three benefits of incorporating pop culture references into grief programming.\nDesign one activity using a superhero\, movie\, or social media trend to support grief expression.\nAdapt pop culture integration strategies for different age groups.\nImplement at least two strategies that strengthen engagement and reduce chaos in group settings.\n\n  \nSpeaker Bios:\nJennifer 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. \nLaurel 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. \n  \nRefund/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. \nTo 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.
URL:https://nacg.org/event/introduction-to-grief-support-series-heroes-hashtags-and-healing-using-pop-culture-to-connect-with-grieving-kids-and-teens/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Introduction to Grief Support Series,Live Interactive Webinar,Members Only Playback
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261105T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261105T133000
DTSTAMP:20260415T031738
CREATED:20260108T153854Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260211T182954Z
UID:14892-1793880000-1793885400@nacg.org
SUMMARY:Imagined Worlds\, Real Stories: Exploring Grief and Strength Through Tabletop Role Playing Games
DESCRIPTION:This presentation introduces participants to the theory\, structure\, and practical application of therapeutically applied tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs) in clinical and supportive settings. Drawing on evidence-based practices and current research in game-based interventions\, the presentation explores how role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons can be intentionally adapted to support session goals such as exploring strengths and coping mechanisms\, enhancing connection to the person who died\, increasing emotional regulation and addressing loss in a safe\, contained\, and imaginative environment. \nParticipants will gain introductory knowledge in both the mechanics of tabletop role-playing games and the core principles of therapeutic facilitation. Through a brief overview of TTRPGS\, case examples\, and hands-on activities\, attendees will learn basic principles of TTRPGs in individual and group sessions. Participants will leave with interventions that they can use in their supportive sessions. \n  \nContinuing Education (CE) Credits: 1.5 continuing education credits available\nTarget Audience: Counselors\, Social workers\, Bereavement support professionals\, school professionals\nInstructional Level: Intermediate – This best describes a topic or issue that the audience likely has a theoretical foundation for understanding and/or a working knowledge\nFormat: Live Interactive Webinar \nCost: Free for NACG Members; $60 for Guests without CEs\, $75 for Guests with CEs \n     \nNot 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 → \n  \nAfter attending this webinar\, participants will be able to: \n\nAssess opportunities within the session to utilize TTRPGs to support therapeutic themes such as connection to the person who died\, identity exploration\, and resilience-building.\nRecognize the potential benefits and limitations of using TTRPGs with grieving clients\, including considerations for age\, neurodiversity\, and group dynamics.\nIdentify at least one intervention that can be used in supportive individual or group sessions.\n\n  \nSpeaker Bio:\nAshlee Cabral\, MA\, LMFT\, is a private practice therapist who has specialized in traumatic grief and loss with all ages. Her experience includes over a decade of private practice therapy\, hospice grief services coordination\, higher education instruction and clinical supervision. She is a certified therapeutic game master with experience using TTRPGs and video games in therapeutic practice. She has previously presented at the NACG on using video games with grieving kids. \nChristina Thomas\, MS\, LCSW\, is the Child and Families Grief Coordinator at a regional nonprofit hospice. She holds dual master’s degrees in child development and social work\, and has spent the past decade working with families navigating grief and loss. Christina developed the Adventures Through Grief program\, combining evidence-based grief support with creative role-playing interventions. \n  \n \nSupported by the philanthropic investment\nof the New York Life Foundation. \n  \nContinuing Education (CE) Provider Information:\nEach professional is responsible for the individual requirements as stipulated by their licensing agency. Please contact your individual licensing board/regulatory agency to review continuing education requirements for licensure renewal. Please note: You must attend “live” (in real-time) to earn CEs. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the CE process\, please contact Megan Lopez at megan.lopez@childrengrieve.org or at (432) 288-4688. \nThe National Alliance for Children’s Grief has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider\, ACEP No. 7221. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. The National Alliance for Children’s Grief is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. Counselors completing this course will receive 1.5 contact hours. \nThe National Alliance for Children’s Grief is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0689. Social Workers completing this course will receive 1.5 contact hours. \nThe National Alliance for Children’s Grief is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0238. Counselors completing this course will receive 1.5 contact hours. \nNational Alliance for Children’s Grief\, #1819\, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations\, not individual courses\, are approved as ACE providers.  State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. National Alliance for Children’s Grief maintains responsibility for this course.  ACE provider approval period: 07/20/2023 – 07/20/2026. Counselors completing this course will receive 1.5 continuing education credits. \nRefund/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. \nTo 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. \nAttendance policy: To earn CEs for this event\, you must attend the entirety of the event as demonstrated by your autogenerated login and logout time on the Zoom Webinar report and complete an online event evaluation within seven (7) days of the event. Please make sure you are signed into Zoom using the name that matches your professional license and not the name of your place of employment\, as there is no way to verify your attendance after the fact if your name does not appear on the Zoom Webinar report. CE certificates will be sent out within 30 days of the educational event. The link for your certificate will come from “certificates@simplecert.net” as the National Alliance for Children’s Grief. Please be sure to add this email to your “safe sender list”. The NACG is unable to process certificates after 90 days from the date of the event.  \nCE Certificate retrieval request: The NACG maintains continuing education records for at least six years from the date of completion of the educational event which include: the name and curriculum vitae of the presenter\, a record of attendance\, an outline of the course\, date\, and location of the course\, and the number of hours for completion of the course. If you attended a CE educational event and need a copy of your CE certificate\, please complete this form to obtain a copy: https://nacg.wufoo.com/forms/qfsln7r1twqpty/. Please note if the education event was more than 90 days ago\, and a required evaluation was not completed\, a certificate cannot be provided per the policy. \nGrievance policy:  To view the NACG’s Continuing Education Grievance Policy\, you can find it HERE. Please complete THIS form to share a grievance with the NACG regarding a continuing education event.
URL:https://nacg.org/event/imagined-worlds-real-stories-exploring-grief-and-strength-through-tabletop-role-playing-games/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Live Interactive Webinar
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261203T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261203T133000
DTSTAMP:20260415T031738
CREATED:20260413T193149Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260413T193149Z
UID:15213-1796299200-1796304600@nacg.org
SUMMARY:Reflection and Regulation: Art-Based Practices to Support Clinicians Working with Children in Grief
DESCRIPTION:When supporting children in grief\, clinicians bring best intentions and well-developed skills to the therapeutic relationship. Yet their own histories of loss can surface\, often in unrecognized ways and may shape how they engage with children in grief. Without awareness and reflection\, these reactions risk complicating the healing process. Research demonstrates that previously developed relationship patterns and emotional expression influence the therapeutic relationship (Prasko et al.\, 2022). \nRecognizing and reflecting on these experiences is essential in grief work. Equally critical is the capacity to regulate one’s own response to remain attuned and effective to the child. Clinicians themselves confirm this\, “those least likely to talk about grief with their clients described feeling uncomfortable reflecting on their own grief\,” highlighting the necessity of self-reflection before working with clients in grief (Blueford et al.\, 2022). \nUsing creative modalities may help in this process. As Shukla et al.\, (2022) note\, creative activities can reduce stress\, offering an accessible entry point for reflection and coping. Similarly\, del Río Diéguez et al.\, (2024) demonstrate that creative arts therapy interventions foster emotional regulation and self-awareness\, supporting counselors as they acknowledge personal grief\, process emotions\, and regulate more effectively. \nThis session introduces art-based techniques designed to foster both self-reflection and self-regulation for clinicians supporting children in grief. Drawing on international fieldwork in Ukraine during war\, the presenter will illustrate how trauma-informed training\, paired with art-based activities\, helped psychotherapists deepen awareness of their own grief responses while working under ongoing stress and loss. \nParticipants will engage in a brief guided art therapy experiential to explore their own comfort with grief\, reflect on their own responses\, and practice methods for helping to maintain regulation while working with children in grief. \n  \nContinuing Education (CE) Credits: 1.5 continuing education credits pending\nTarget Audience: Counselors\, Social workers\, Bereavement support professionals\, school professionals\nInstructional Level: Intermediate – This best describes a topic or issue that the audience likely has a theoretical foundation for understanding and/or a working knowledge\nFormat: Live Interactive Webinar \nCost: Free for NACG Members; $60 for Guests without CEs\, $75 for Guests with CEs \n     \nNot 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 → \n  \nAfter attending this webinar\, participants will be able to: \n\nDefine countertransference in grief counseling and explain how a counselor’s own loss history may influence the therapeutic relationship with client.\nIdentify personal responses (of loss\, attunement\, needs) through a guided refection that may impact presence in the therapeutic relationship.\nDemonstrate an art-based activity designed to increase awareness of loss and its influence on the clinical work with children in grief.\nPractice an art-based self-regulation technique to manage emotional responses while working with children in grief.\n\n  \nSpeaker Bio:\nWendy Bradley\, MS\, ATR-BC\, CLAT\, is a board certified and licensed art therapist with over 25 years experience working with children\, teens and families medical\, psychiatric and school-based settings. She has been in private practice for ten years now\, where she focuses on children in grief and trauma. Wendy is also an adjunct professor\, teaching courses in communication\, psychology and child development. \nIn 2024\, Wendy co-designed and co-directed a grief and trauma respite camp in Ukraine\, where she trained Ukrainian psychotherapists and facilitated art-based interventions for children and families living in an active war zone. This work continues to inform her work with children and families\, helping them process grief through safety\, regulation\, and connection\, to build resilience. \nShe is also the author of “Spidey Senses”\, a children’s book created to help young readers manage anxiety and strengthen coping skills through their five senses.  Wendy presents at national and international conferences\, sharing her expertise in trauma-informed art therapy and developmentally responsive grief work with children. \n  \n \nSupported by the philanthropic investment\nof the New York Life Foundation. \n  \nContinuing Education (CE) Provider Information:\nEach professional is responsible for the individual requirements as stipulated by their licensing agency. Please contact your individual licensing board/regulatory agency to review continuing education requirements for licensure renewal. Please note: You must attend “live” (in real-time) to earn CEs. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the CE process\, please contact Megan Lopez at megan.lopez@childrengrieve.org or at (432) 288-4688. \nThe National Alliance for Children’s Grief has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider\, ACEP No. 7221. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. The National Alliance for Children’s Grief is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. Counselors completing this course will receive 1.5 contact hours. \nThe National Alliance for Children’s Grief is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0689. Social Workers completing this course will receive 1.5 contact hours. \nThe National Alliance for Children’s Grief is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0238. Counselors completing this course will receive 1.5 contact hours. \nNational Alliance for Children’s Grief\, #1819\, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations\, not individual courses\, are approved as ACE providers.  State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. National Alliance for Children’s Grief maintains responsibility for this course.  ACE provider approval period: 07/20/2023 – 07/20/2026. Counselors completing this course will receive 1.5 continuing education credits. \nRefund/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. \nTo 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. \nAttendance policy: To earn CEs for this event\, you must attend the entirety of the event as demonstrated by your autogenerated login and logout time on the Zoom Webinar report and complete an online event evaluation within seven (7) days of the event. Please make sure you are signed into Zoom using the name that matches your professional license and not the name of your place of employment\, as there is no way to verify your attendance after the fact if your name does not appear on the Zoom Webinar report. CE certificates will be sent out within 30 days of the educational event. The link for your certificate will come from “certificates@simplecert.net” as the National Alliance for Children’s Grief. Please be sure to add this email to your “safe sender list”. The NACG is unable to process certificates after 90 days from the date of the event.  \nCE Certificate retrieval request: The NACG maintains continuing education records for at least six years from the date of completion of the educational event which include: the name and curriculum vitae of the presenter\, a record of attendance\, an outline of the course\, date\, and location of the course\, and the number of hours for completion of the course. If you attended a CE educational event and need a copy of your CE certificate\, please complete this form to obtain a copy: https://nacg.wufoo.com/forms/qfsln7r1twqpty/. Please note if the education event was more than 90 days ago\, and a required evaluation was not completed\, a certificate cannot be provided per the policy. \nGrievance policy:  To view the NACG’s Continuing Education Grievance Policy\, you can find it HERE. Please complete THIS form to share a grievance with the NACG regarding a continuing education event.
URL:https://nacg.org/event/reflection-and-regulation-art-based-practices-to-support-clinicians-working-with-children-in-grief/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Live Interactive Webinar,Members Only Playback
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR