Reflection and Regulation: Art-Based Practices to Support Clinicians Working with Children in Grief | Non-Member Registration

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).

Recognizing 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).

Using 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.

This 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.

Participants 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.