In this lecture, Nicola Hughes – who is a creative counsellor, supervisor and trainer, as well as former performing artist and youth worker – will give you a deeper understanding of how bereavement and loss can affect children and young people, and how you can work in new ways within this niche area.
With particular expertise in bereavement, change and loss, Nicola will help you to:
- understand the factors affecting bereaved children and young people
- look at key facts and figures relating to this client group
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- learn how to talk to children and young people about death
- discover how age affects the understanding of grief
- examine a child’s possible reactions to grief
- explore various elements of working with a grieving family, and how to do so.
As in all areas of counselling, self-awareness in the counsellor is key, and Nicola looks at how your work in this field may be affected by your views on the extent to which children should be told about death, and included in associated discussions and rituals.
Nicola presents a number of key statistics and research-based information relating to children’s experience of death, highlighting the scale of this client group and of the need for therapeutic support.
Nicola explains clearly her top tips for talking to children about death, the developmental stages of moving towards a full understanding of death, and the range of possible grief reactions that you may see in children and young people. This client group has needs in a number of different areas, of which therapists should be aware before commencing work in this area.
Of course, every grieving child has one or more carers, and these people may also need their own support in understanding and coping with the thoughts, feelings and behaviours of the young person.
Having covered plenty of ideas on assessment, contracting and ways of working with bereaved children and young people, the lecture concludes with a list of possible further activities you might like to consider in order to build on your knowledge and skills further, both personally and professionally.
About the Lecture Presenter
Nicola Hughes is a creative counsellor, supervisor and trainer who helps people and professionals to 'Find Themselves, Be Themselves and Grow Themselves'.
Before becoming a counsellor, she was a performing artist and youth worker. Nicola came into counselling as she felt that the people she met needed more help than she could offer at the time.
Since qualifying in 2009, she has worked for primary and secondary schools, universities, health projects, children's charities, bereavement and cancer charities, and the NHS.
She has delivered many training courses on bereavement, sexual abuse, sex and relationships, and counselling.
Nicola loves training, not just because she enjoys a crowd, but because she is passionate about delivering excellent training that is creative, relevant and practical.
She is now enjoying the good life of private practice, and trying to keep all her creative ideas and plans under control!
Nicola has particular expertise in bereavement, change and loss, and works with clients who have suffered a bereavement or are going through significant life changes.
In particular, she helps women with the transition into motherhood, which can include helping women to process difficult birth experiences, adjust to being a mother, deal with perinatal mental health issues and transition back to work.
All of her clients and supervisees are invited to work creatively, whether they meet online, face to face or outdoors. Nicola says, "Being creative allows our subconscious out, and when it's out we can really see what's going on".
She works from her 'Caravan Clinic' in Pudsey, online, and in the woods and parks nearby, offering outdoor therapy. Her work is with individuals aged 13 plus, couples and groups.
Nicola lives in Leeds with her hubby, their two little pickles and a small hound (the latter features in many of her social media posts). She loves walking, crafting, drinking coffee and eating cake with friends!
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Children and Loss lecture overview