Grieving Hearts Memory Activity

intervention themes feelings expression, grief, loss, bereavement, transitions estimated time needed for activity 30 minutes recommended age range 10 17 materials needed whiteboard via hopscotch platform, https //simplysandplay com/ , or microsoft word document preparation there are no things to prepare in advance everything needed for this activity is available online therapeutic goals use art based activity to address grief & bereavement in children create a safe place for children to process grief memories analyze ways to integrate art therapy into telehealth sessions description this activity is designed to help children acknowledge and process memories related to their grief event in future sessions, you can refer to these memories as a way to help the client think of positive coping strategies when dealing with grief reminders (e g if the child had a memory of taking walks in the neighborhood with their parent, encourage them to do that when they are struggling with grief reminders) first let the client know we will be creating an art project with their memories of their loved one let them know they can either use the online sand tray, the whiteboard to draw their memories or a microsoft word document to use clip art for their activity once they chose their way of completing the activity, ask them to share their screen before you begin the activity, ask the client to close their eyes (if they feel comfortable) and think about their loved one you can have some calming music playing on your phone or from youtube, or even utilize a calming fish tank video on youtube for client’s who do not want to or do not feel comfortable closing their eyes ask the client to start working on their project when they are ready encourage them first to draw a heart (or find a clipart heart they like) on their paper then, ask them to find/draw pictures that represent the happy memories they have about their loved one inside their heart then inform them they can put any unpleasant or unhappy memories outside their heart explain that this helps them acknowledge their full grief story and will ultimately help them with the healing process discussion this activity is beneficial because it allows the child to confront their grief in a healthy way, through memories although some children may have some negative memories about their loved one, this is actually beneficial because it prevents them from avoiding their full grief story if the child does not want to talk about their memories, encourage them to share them with someone they trust and/or journal be mindful of where the child is in the grieving process and how they lost the loved one to determine the appropriateness of timing for the activity it is recommended this activity is done after the child has learned coping skills to positively manage any grief triggers processing questions which memory is your favorite? what type of emotions to you have looking at your heart? what are some coping skills you can use to manage any negative emotions this heart may cause? what are some activities you can do when your missing your loved one that are related to your memories? who can you share your heart with that can remind you of your happy memories when you miss your loved one? about the creator, april duncan, dsw, lcsw, rpt s april duncan (dsw, lcsw, rpt s) obtained her bachelor’s in arts & science from the university of missouri columbia (2006), masters of social work from saint louis university (2012) and doctorate of social work from the university of southern california (2021) dr april is a racial trauma expert and the founder of bmh connect, an organization focusing on using play therapy to address racial trauma in black and latinx youth she also is an adjunct instructor in the online msw program at tulane university contact drapril\@bmhconnect com