Course Description:
Grief is a profound experience that significantly impacts a person’s emotional well-being. Although mostly acknowledged through the death of a loved one, feelings of grief could result from any meaningful change or loss. Children and adolescents experiencing grief and loss are especially vulnerable to psychological, physiological, and behavioral challenges that could occur when their anguish is inadequately managed. The negative effects of grief are exacerbated when it is compounded by complex trauma experienced from prolonged exposure to adversity, abuse, or neglect. These cumulative stressors can influence brain development, particularly in areas responsible for stress management, emotional regulation, and interpersonal functioning.
Alternatively, when grief is effectively managed, children and adolescents develop their capacity to cope with stressors, strengthen social connections, and improve their psychological, physical, and spiritual wellbeing. Therefore, the purpose of this interactive training is to underscore the importance of using an empathic, trauma-based lens to support the grief process of children and adolescents as well as learn interventions that build resilience and enhance their overall wellbeing.
This training is suitable for human service professionals, educators, parents and caregivers, community providers and other adults who interact with children and adolescents.
Learning Objectives:
- Define the stages of grief and explore the emotional, cultural, and spiritual dimensions of grief.
- Understand the psychological, physiological, and social impact of grief and loss on children and adolescents and its effect on overall wellbeing.
- Discuss the interaction between grief and complex trauma and distinguish between normal and adverse grief responses in children and adolescents.
- Develop engagement skills to support grieving children and adolescents through an empathic, trauma-informed lens as well as learn interventions that promote resilience and wellbeing.
About the Presenter:
Kameko is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Washington, DC and Maryland. She currently serves as the Director of Youth, Birth Family, & Community Engagement at the National Center for Children and Families, where she is responsible for ensuring that children and families involved in the foster care system receive supportive, wraparound services until permanency is achieved. In addition, she is a Training and Instructional Development Fellow at the Institute for Mastery and Integration.
Within the last 10 years, Kameko has worked in academia as an adjunct professor and research assistant, presented at several conferences on a variety of topics, as well as co-authored a publication on executive functioning and academic success. She holds a Master of Social Work degree from Howard University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Bowie State University. Kameko is currently a second-year doctoral student in the School of Social Work at Morgan State University.
Continuing Education:
This program is Approved by the National Association of Social Workers (Approval # 886842050-3107) for 2 continuing education contact hours.
