How Children Grieve: Supporting Kids (and Yourself) After a Loss

Grief doesn't look the same at every age. In this episode (33) of the GRIEF Ladies, we're joined by clinical social worker Jennifer Kimlingen to talk about how children process loss, why grief can resurface at different developmental stages, and how adults can create safe, supportive environments for grieving kids. You'll hear: How children express grief at different ages Why routine and structure help during acute loss The role of self-compassion for caregivers Storytelling as a powerful way to honor loved ones Why it's okay not to have all the answers No child should ever grieve alone — and caregivers deserve support, too. As always, we close with practical steps you can try this week.  Guest Bio:  Jennifer Kimlingen is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker whose passion is helping to create a more compassionate and accepting culture towards those who are grieving. Jennifer believes that humans can benefit from removing the fear and barriers around death and death education! She cares deeply about improving children's grief and bereavement experiences and presents on the topic every chance she gets! She is a Trauma-Thriver and hopeful to help as many other people as she can to develop their own meaning of survival and resilience, after facing some of the worst this life has to offer. Jennifer credits her father for her strong values and ethics, which led to her social work education and completion of her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Adelphi University in 2014. Her career background includes medical social work, grief and bereavement counseling and private practice. Jennifer currently provides grief education for mental health clinicians through the Agents of Change Continuing Education online platform. Her specializations include grief and bereavement, trauma and traumatic grief and loss. Jennifer is currently employed as a bereavement counselor with Choices Health (Hospice & Community Care & Hospice of Central Pennsylvania) and lives in Carlisle, Pennsylvania with her husband and two children.  Connect with Jennifer: Direct Office # 717-598-4343 Email- [email protected] https://www.hospiceofcentralpa.org/our-services/bereavement/  Grief Education and Webinars with Agents of Change:  https://agentsofchangeprep.com/continuing-education/live-ce-event-grief-therapy-recent-developments-and-applications/  https://agentsofchangeprep.com/continuing-education/course-detail/childs-grief-journey/  GRIEF Ladies: Your Guide to What Comes Next If you're ready to move forward without moving on—this show is for you. 🎧 Follow and connect: https://www.griefladies.com/ Kelly Daugherty: https://www.kellydaugherty.com/ Karyn Arnold: https://www.griefincommon.com/ Stay up to date with all the latest information about The GRIEF Ladies- Sign up for our newsletter at: www.griefladies.com Join the FREE, Private Facebook GRIEF Ladies Community: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/16WuZNsNGu/ The GRIEF Ladies podcast offers education and support for people living with grief after someone they love has died. Our content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health care or crisis services. If you are in crisis or concerned about your safety, call 988 in the U.S. or contact local emergency services. Guest perspectives shared on this platform are their own and may not reflect the views or positions of The Grief Ladies.