How to Talk with Kids About Dying, Death & Grief
About the workshop
Discussing death with children and young adults can be challenging and many tend to avoid the conversations altogether. But death, just like birth, is a natural part of our lives. As parents, guardians, and caregivers, it is our responsibility to ensure young people know it’s okay to talk about dying and death, and to learn healthy ways of coping with grief.
Are these appropriate conversations for young people? Absolutely! In fact, their mental health might depend on it.
We are proud to offer this 2-hour workshop as part of our C.A.N.D.Y. Café, a unique program designed to help young people and the adults in their lives navigate conversations about dying, death, and grief.
Are you part of an organization that wants to host this workshop for your team or community? We would love to make that happen!
Email terri@homehospiceassociation.com or visit our Community Presentations page for more details.
What we'll cover in this workshop
• Brain development during childhood and teen years
• Developmental stages in relation to how young people experience life events
• How to get the conversation started
• How to listen effectively to young people and provide a safe place from them to ask questions and discuss their feelings
• How to discuss terminal diagnosis, MAiD, and suicide with young people
Meet the Facilitator
Terri Viola-Wilson
Terri is C.A.N.D.Y. Café's Program Manager and HHA's Subject Matter Expert for Talking with Kids about Dying, Death and Grief. She is a retired teacher with over 30 years of engaging with young people in the classroom, on sports teams, in choirs, and in social justice movements. During those years, one of her passions was helping to improve communication between her students and the adults who cared for them.
With the mental welfare of young people in mind, Terri helped develop the C.A.N.D.Y. Café program. Drawing on both her personal and professional experiences, as well as her continuing education in childhood trauma and child and youth grieving, Terri brings empathy and knowledge to everyone she encounters through C.A.N.D.Y. Café - including young people of all ages and the adults who live, work, and care for them.
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Many adults find it difficult to think about dying and death, let alone talk about it with a young person. Our Death Cafés for Parents & Guardians actively explore how adult participants can help the children in their lives by talking about death with them openly and comfortably.
Find upcoming dates here, and check out our full Death Café programming here.