Description
Grief and loss are among the most profound human experiences, and in childhood they are often expressed in ways that are non-verbal, symbolic, and sometimes fragmented. Whether through bereavement, separation, illness, or other significant life changes, children may communicate their grief through play, repetition, metaphor, silence, or shifts in behaviour rather than direct verbal expression. Within the playroom, these expressions offer important opportunities for understanding, containment, and healing.
This Continuing Professional Development (CPD) webinar explores how play therapists can sensitively support children experiencing grief and loss within therapeutic work. The session will examine how children understand and process loss at different developmental stages, and how grief may present differently depending on age, attachment experiences, and the nature of the loss. Participants will consider a range of losses, including death, separation, illness, and ambiguous or less visible forms of loss, and how these can impact emotional regulation, identity, and relationships.
The training will integrate theory with practical, play-based approaches that support children in expressing emotions, integrating memories, and making meaning from their experiences. Emphasis will be placed on the importance of creating a safe, containing therapeutic environment where grief can be explored at the child’s pace, alongside clear boundaries and attuned presence. Participants will also consider how to recognise grief-related themes in play and how to respond in ways that support both emotional expression and psychological integration.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this webinar participants will be able to:
Understand how children experience and express grief and loss across different developmental stages.
Identify various types of loss, including bereavement, separation, illness, and ambiguous loss, and their impact on children’s emotional wellbeing.
Recognise grief-related themes, symbols, and behaviours as they emerge in therapeutic play.
Understand the role of play in supporting emotional expression, memory integration, and meaning-making.
Use play-based interventions to support children navigating grief and loss in a developmentally appropriate way.
Create a safe, containing, and supportive therapeutic environment for grieving children.
Maintain clear boundaries while holding space for complex emotional experiences.
Develop confidence in supporting both verbal and non-verbal expressions of grief within the playroom.
Reflect on the therapist’s role in facilitating mourning, remembrance, and emotional regulation.
Why Attend?
Children rarely grieve in straightforward or verbal ways, and their experiences of loss may emerge subtly within their play and relationships. Understanding how to recognise and respond to these expressions is essential for providing effective and compassionate therapeutic support.
This webinar offers a reflective and practical space to deepen confidence in working with grief and loss, equipping practitioners with both theoretical understanding and creative tools to support children through some of life’s most challenging experiences.
