Creative Interventions for Bereaved Children, Second Edition

In this popular resource, best-selling author and international keynote speaker Liana Lowenstein outlines her most innovative therapeutic tools including games, art, and stories, to help children bereaved by all types of death-loss, including drug overdose, suicide, homicide, mass violence, line-of-duty-death, natural disasters, and serious illness. Some activities may be adapted for youth experiencing a non-death loss—for example, a parent who is incarcerated, parental military deployment, or placement in foster care. The activities can be used in a variety of settings, including in-person and virtual individual and family sessions, children’s grief support groups and camps. This thoroughly updated second edition incorporates up-to-date knowledge on childhood grief, many new activities, additional topic areas, a sample curriculum for children’s grief support groups, and reproducible handouts for caregivers. Geared to ages 7-12. New to the Second Edition: Up-to-date theoretical information on childhood grief Revised intake questionnaire All new activities to help children safely express feelings, understand death and its finality, address anger and self-blame, commemorate the deceased, and learn coping strategies Special interventions for children bereaved by suicide, homicide, drug overdose, natural disasters, and other types of loss Techniques to help bereaved children process trauma responses Sample curriculum for children’s grief support groups New and revised interventions for family sessions Reproducible handouts for caregivers and tips for school personnel And more! Creative Interventions for Bereaved Children, Second Edition is a must-have resource for child bereavement program staff and child serving professionals seeking engaging ways to help grieving children and their families. See Liana Lowenstein’s other books, which present more engaging and practical techniques. For free mental health resources including an eBook, article library, and links to Liana Lowenstein’s innovative workshops and webinars, visit: www.lianalowenstein.com

About the Author :
Liana Lowenstein is a Clinical Social Worker, Certified Play Therapist-Supervisor, and Certified TF-CBT Therapist who is known internationally for her best-selling books including: Creative Interventions for Troubled Children & Youth (1999); Creative Interventions for Children of Divorce (2006a); Creative Interventions for Bereaved Children (2006b); Cory Helps Kids Cope with Sexual Abuse (2014); and Creative CBT Interventions for Children with Anxiety (2016). She has also edited the book, Creative Family Therapy Techniques, as well as four volumes of the book, Assessment and Treatment Activities for Children, Adolescents, and Families: Practitioners Share Their Most Effective Techniques. She presents trainings across North America and abroad and provides consultation to therapists worldwide. She has been working with children and families since 1988 and continues to maintain a private practice in Toronto. Liana is winner of the Monica Herbert award for outstanding contribution to play therapy in Canada. Her website offers free resources for mental health professionals including a free eBook of assessment and treatment activities: lianalowenstein.com

Review :
This thoughtful collection of creative therapeutic activities is a valuable resource for those helping bereaved children explore and express their grief as they integrate the loss into their lives. It is an accessible and practical guide for providers working with individuals, groups, and families, with helpful handouts for caregivers that support a systems approach to promoting adjustment and wellbeing. I highly recommend this new edition of such a valued book. Lowenstein provides practical and reproducible activities that will be appreciated by both seasoned professionals and those new to the children’s bereavement field. The material is accessible and adaptable to a variety of settings. This book should be a part of every well-rounded resource library on children’s grief. Liana’s language and approach is beautifully constructed from years of experience and is a gift to new practitioners and those who have worked in the field for years. She is incredibly generous in sharing so many activities which will greatly benefit children and families who are grieving. Creative Interventions for Bereaved Children is an important resource and anyone doing grief work should have this on their bookshelves. Those who are familiar with the first edition will greatly benefit from the updated theory on childhood grief and even more creative and thoughtful activities.