Unapolegetic : Trauma-Informed Therapeutic Grief Support for Children and Adolescents
Erica D Ogletree , LPCC-S , CSOTP , CTRP-CT , TGCTA- CT , owns and operates TREEmendous Care Therapeutic Services LLC in Cincinnati , OH . An adjunct professor at Xavier University in the Counseling graduate program , and a doctoral student in the University of Cincinnati Counselor Education & Supervision program , Ogletree trains and implements trauma and grief treatment for children , adolescents , and adults in various models . Her three additional certifications are in sexual behavior problem treatment , certified trauma and resilience treatment , and certified trauma and grief component therapy . She is a current member of AMHCA and several other professional associations .
The enormity of grief and its corresponding experiences can contribute to a multitude of thoughts and emotions , including beauty in the variety and complexity of our expressions and experiences of grief . For children and adolescents , in a world they neither fully understand nor can control , the grief process becomes even more convoluted . This article explores the intersection of grief and culture , and the resulting need for trauma-informed and culturally sensitive intervention and support for children and adolescents . My hope is to provide a renewed understanding of grief , the impact of culture , and ways to recognize the difference between support skills and treatment skills , and the impact that they can have when you put them into action with your clients .
One in 12 children experiences the death of a parent or sibling significant to them by the age of 18 , according to the 2023 Childhood Bereavement Estimation Model , bit . ly / 3nFSRJS , which is based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data from 2017 – 2021 . My beautiful older sister was killed in an automobile accident by a negligent bus driver . The only one injured , she died at the scene of the accident . She was a loving wife and mother of five children and stepmother of two additional kiddos . The day after she died , her youngest child and only daughter turned 2 . The entire tragedy was a nightmare , as I am sure you would imagine . During what became a trial that lasted more than two years , her second oldest son ’ s struggle deepened . Long story short , my family and I adopted him , and he moved to Ohio to live with us .
When we set out to find grief support for him at the local organization known for grief support at the time , we had a horrible experience . In fact , we were asked to leave the first day . My nephew did not fight , instigate trouble , or even get verbally aggressive . He did not do anything — he just sat there or walked the halls instead of engaging in art activities or talk circles , and the staff had no idea how to support him . He and I were both in so much pain at the time . To make matters worse , we both had been in separate disagreements with my sister before she died , leaving us both with the indescribable pain of knowing we would never get to say , “ Forget it , let ’ s move on .” However , none of that mattered as we were shown the door .
Right then I decided that there must be better support and actual treatment for youths who are experiencing grief .
UNDERSTANDING THE LANDSCAPE — AND TERMS — OF GRIEF
As I began to grapple with the phenomena of loss , I came across common terms for Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselors ( LCMHCs ) to understand in this arena of work :
• Bereavement : The act of losing a loved one or close person through death .
• Grief : Psychological , emotional , behavioral , and spiritual reactions to bereavement . These fall on a continuum ranging from adaptive grief reactions to maladaptive grief reactions .
• Mourning : Ritualized means of recognizing , honoring , and remembering the deceased . Mourning has two presentations : Public mourning rituals : Memorial services , wakes , funerals , sitting shiva , memorials and monuments , plaques ; Private mourning rituals : For example , mementos , T-shirts , tattoos , adding a memorial to a car windshield , lighting a candle .
• Loss : Deprivation of valued resources brought about by death , separation , disappearance of , or estrangement from , loved ones . continued on page 16 The Advocate Magazine 2023 , Issue # 1 American Mental Health Counselors Association ( AMHCA ) www . amhca . org
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