Child Grief & Trauma

Has your child experienced:

• The death of a parent, friend or family member?

• A serious health diagnosis?

• The loss of an important relationship?

• Family separation or divorce?

• A Traumatic event (sexual abuse, car accident, etc.)

Grief and Trauma one can be incredibly challenging and confusing for children to navigate. How they process and understand it can differ based on their age, emotional development, and the nature of the loss. Children often experience grief in a different way from adults, and they may not always express their emotions verbally.

Thrive offers several compassionate and non-judgemental counsellors to help your child process their grief and/or trauma and begin to move forward. In addition, we offer parent support sessions to help parents process their own feelings of grief, and be there for their children.

Grieving can be an intense and isolating experience for anyone, and your child does not have to suffer alone.

Children may show their grief or trauma in ways that are sometimes unexpected—changes in sleep, withdrawal from activities they once enjoyed, irritability, or sudden clinginess. They might ask difficult questions, replay the event in their minds, or struggle to make sense of what happened. These reactions are normal, but without guidance, kids can feel overwhelmed or misunderstood. Having a calm, reassuring space to express themselves can help them feel more secure as they begin to heal.

At Thrive, we focus on helping children rebuild a sense of safety, trust, and emotional stability. Through gentle, developmentally appropriate approaches, we support them in understanding their feelings and finding healthy ways to cope. Our goal is to empower children to feel grounded again, while also equipping families with tools to stay connected and resilient through even the most painful experiences.