Ep 17: Navigating Grief and Loss: How to Help Your Kids Cope with Jenn Cormier and Barb Matias Haynes

How do we help children in navigating grief​, loss, and overwhelm, when we ourselves are struggling through it? Whether you’re facing the grief of a death, the loss of a relationship or job, a major move, or any other major life transition, Grief Guide Reverend Jenn Cormier and Transition Coach Barb Matias Haynes are here to help. Both leapt feet first into the world of guiding others through grief and healing after the loss of their fathers and now help their coaching clients meet their grief with grace and authenticity.

In this episode, Vanessa Callaghan, MED  interviews Jenn and Barb, including questions from listeners like you, to gain their advice on how much to share with our children around loss and how to help children become more resilient to loss. They also share simple yet powerful practices for navigating grief and loss​ and literally moving (our bodies) through it. Unfortunately, loss happens to us all, but this episode will leave you feeling more prepared to face it equipped to guide your children.

Here are the topics we covered on Navigating Grief and Loss: How to Help Your Kids Cope.

• The dangers of sheltering our children too much and the beauty of including them in major life events such as births, weddings, and deaths.
  
• The crucial nature of storytelling for building connection and understanding before death.
• What happens to our brains when we grieve and what can we do with the awareness of how we process and experience grief?
• Is my hardened and less open heart after loss of self-preservation and healing, and is this less sensitive reality my new normal?
• How do I help my children to grieve the parts of my mom that have been lost to dementia?
• Movement practices to help us literally move (our bodies) through grief.
• Bringing your authentic self to the grief process and how to talk to your children about loss.

Hope you liked this episode and learned some valuable lessons for the whole family on navigating grief and dealing with the loss of loved ones.

Find out more about Rev. Jenn Cormier’s work, pick up her complimentary 7 Steps to Walk Through Grief with Grace Guidebook, and book a complimentary Grief Breakthrough Session at www.walkthroughgriefwithgrace.com.

You can listen to her podcast, Walk Through Grief with Grace, on all major listening platforms

Learn more about Barb Matias Haynes on her website www.barbmatiashaynes.com and on Instagram @barbmatiashaynes.

Go to www.thecalmempoweredparent.com to get your free copy of Vanessa’s Calm Parent Strategy Guide, to submit a question, to stay up to date with upcoming events, and to explore how to bring one of Vanessa’s low-cost workshops to your school or group.

Music by Jabari Martin instagram.com/iamstolenartifacts.