Supporting Grieving Children through Play Therapy

This training provides clinicians with tools to support children experiencing grief and loss using play therapy interventions. Participants will learn how to address the complex emotions and behaviors associated with bereavement in a safe, developmentally appropriate way.

Date: Friday, December 12, 2025, 9:00am- 4:00pm  

Format: In-Person 

APT CE Hours: 6 Contact Hours 

Facility name and address: Alexander JFS, 4131 S Braeswood Blvd, Houston, TX 77025 

Event Schedule: 8:45am- Check-in, 9:00am- Training Begins, 12:00pm-1:00pm- Lunch, 4:00pm- Check-out 

Program Presenter:  

• Danny Clark, LCSW

Description: This continuing education training provides an in-depth review of how children understand and respond to grief across various developmental stages. Grounded in current bereavement theory, the course introduces evidence-based Play Therapy approaches designed to support children navigating loss. Through case examples and interactive practice, participants will build confidence in identifying grief responses, applying therapeutic techniques, and determining when Play Therapy is an appropriate clinical intervention for children experiencing grief. 

Objectives: 

• Identify the core theories and foundational ideas that explain how children experience grief.
• Recognize how grief presents differently across developmental stages in childhood.
• Distinguish among various forms of grief and describe common features of each.
• Explain how Play Therapy theories apply specifically to children coping with grief.
• Evaluate situations where Play Therapy could be an appropriate method for supporting grieving children.
• Discuss cultural, familial, and systemic factors that influence a child's grief experience and response to Play Therapy.