Supporting Grieving Children and Teens

Melissa Lunardini, MA, MBA, FT

Training Description

Now more than ever it is important that clinicians and mental health providers have a solid foundation of grief and loss training so that they can confidently lean on evidence-based theoretical and practical applications when supporting their clients. This training aims to increase a clinician’s knowledgebase in childhood bereavement so that they can immediately implement evidence-based concepts, developmentally appropriate interventions, and provide

clients with valuable resources.

Learning Objectives

• Attendees will increase their knowledge of grief and loss and will be able to examine theory
• Attendees will be able to recall developmental differences between adult and childhood bereavement
• Identify developmental grief markers
• Discuss age-appropriate strategies and interventions in childhood bereavement
• Recall 8 possible implications for unresolved and unsupported grief

Agenda 

1:00-1:05pm  Welcome & Objectives 

1:05-1:30pm   Theory & Types of Grief

• Stages of Grief vs Dual Process vs Tasks of Mourning
• Anticipatory, Disenfranchised, Collective, Ambiguous, Traumatic, Complicated, Normative 

1:30-2:00pm      Grief and Loss Foundation 

• Styles of Grief 
• Differences between child and adult grief

2:00-2:55pm   Developmental Responses to Grief

• Ages 0-6
• Ages 6-12
• Ages 13+

2:55-3:10pm   Break (CEUs will not be offered for this time)

3:10-3:30pm   Risks and vulnerabilities of unsupported grief

• Trauma risks
• Maladaptive responses

3:30-4:30pm   Evidence-based interventions

• ARC
• Resilient Parenting for Bereaved Families

4:30-4:40pm   Resources      

• Books, websites, podcasts, & intervention manuals

4:40-5:00pm  Wrap up Questions & Answers

Meet Our Trainer

Melissa Lunardini, MA, MBA, FT, is Founder and CEO of Radical Grief Consulting, an organization that enhances healthcare professionals and educators’ understanding of the foundational aspects of childhood grief and loss and

provides them with evidence-based interventions to reduce maladaptive behaviors in bereaved youth. Melissa has more than 15 years of experience in program design and development in grief, loss, and trauma for healthcare, academia, youth-based, NGOs and grief and loss-based industries. Her commitment to research in the field of childhood loss led to her being awarded a fellowship in Thanatology from the Association for Death Education and Counseling. A recognized specialist in childhood bereavement, Melissa strives to remain current with trends and research in the industry. She is a sought-after presenter on childhood trauma, grief, and loss both locally and nationally. Melissa is a member of the Board of Directors for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention in San Diego. Melissa is currently pursuing a PhD in international psychology with a focus on trauma. She holds a MA in psychology from Chapman University and an MBA

and BA from California State University San Bernardino.

This course meets the qualifications for (3.75) BBS CEUs for LCSWs, LMFTs, LPCCs, and LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences & is provided by Fred Finch Youth Center, CAMFT Provider #045295.