Using mindfulness and compassion to support grieving children and families

Much of our training in empathy focuses on being fully in another’s shoes, yet recent neuroscientific research exploring the pathways of empathy and compassion reveal a different understanding of the gifts and perils of unmediated empathy.

In this experiential and interactive training we will explore both the importance of mindfulness as a core mediator in the clinical skill of therapeutic presence, as well as the possibilities for sustainable practice available through the cultivation of self-other compassion as a clinical skill. We will also touch on practices of cultural humility and cultural competence as core values of attuned and ethical care.

In addition to the exploration of the clinician’s own mindfulness and compassion practices, mindfulness practices that can be used with children, adolescents and families will be explored, underlining the value of mindfulness and compassion as essential components of providing grief support to people of all ages.

Participants of this webinar will:

• Understand empathy and compassion through the lens of neuroscience, including how mindfulness enables us to remain grounded and open in the face of suffering and distress
• Explore strategies for developing open presence and deep listening in clinical work
• Explore compassion as a trainable skill and the value of self-compassion as a foundation for our work with others
• Consider nervous system and body-based regulatory strategies for working with suffering from the perspective of polyvagal theory
• Learn mindfulness practices that can be incorporated into clinical work with children, youth and families who are grieving a death
• Explore perspectives of cultural humility and cultural competence in providing equitable, inclusive and diversity-affirming care

This webinar is part of the Children’s grief and bereavement certificate program. Participants may register for any of the certificate program’s individual webinars as a stand-alone training.