Guiding Your Child Through Grief - by James P Emswiler & Mary Ann Emswiler (Paperback)

About the Book

This unique parenting book, from the directors of the nation's largest support groups for grieving children and their families, offers positive and practical suggestions for helping children cope with their grief over time.

Book Synopsis

Give your child the help and support needed to cope with grief and loss.

Guiding Your Child Through Grief, by the founders of the New England Center for Loss & Transition and The Cove, a highly praised program for grieving children, takes away the uncertainty and helpless feelings we commonly feel as we reach out to children who mourn. This caring and compassionate guide offers expert advice during difficult days to help a child grieve the death of a parent or sibling. Based on their experience as counselors--and as parents of grieving children--the authors help readers to understand:

The many ways children grieve, often in secret
Changes in family dynamics after death--and straightforward, effective ways to ease the transition
Ways to communicate with children about death and grief
How to cope with the intense sorrow triggered by holidays
The signs grief has turned to depression--and where to find help
And more insights, information, and advice that can
help a child heal

Review Quotes

Praise For Guiding Your Child Through Grief

"Absolutely the right book for the family that needs it."
--Rabbi Harold Kushner, author of When Bad Things Happen To Good People

"A monumental contribution to the countless children who can be helped to cope with the loss of a loved one instead of left unassisted because the adults around them lack an awareness of their needs."
--Therese Rando, Ph.D., author of How to Go On Living When Someone You Love Dies

"An excellent resource to help you bring forth what is within your child, your self and your family so it does not destroy any of you. The tears of unexpressed grief extinguish life's bright candle. Read on and light the dark tunnel so others may follow.
--Bernie Siegel, M.D., author of Love, Medicine & Miracles and Prescriptions for Living

"With the Emswilers' vast experience, I know of no one who can offer such compassion, comfort, and guidance during the lonely and painful times of a child's grief--An exceptional book."
--Rabbi Earl Grollman, author of Talking About Death: A Dialogue Between Parent and Child

"An excellent resource for parents, whether they are just beginning to help their children and themselves adjust to the anticipated or recent death of a family member, or whether they are looking for insight into supporting further adjustment several years later. Clinicians, counselors, teachers, and other members of the broader community will also benefit from reading this book so that they, too, can learn how to help children and their families deal with a loss."
--David J. Schonfeld, M.D., Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Child Study, Yale University School of Medicine

"I wish Guiding Your Child Through Grief could be in the hands of every parent with a child or adolescent grieving a death. Of special help is their section on the challenges of stepparenting children after the death of a parent."
--Donna L. Schuurman, Ed.D, Executive Director, The Dougy Center for Grieving Children, Portland, Oregon

About the Author

James P. Emswiler is a cofounder with his wife, Mary Ann Emswiler, of the Cove Center for Grieving Children. He has master's degrees in education and counseling, and worked as the executive director of the New England Center for Loss and Transition.

Mary Ann Emswiler is a co-founder with her husband, James P. Emswiler, of the Cove Center for Grieving Children. She has master's degrees in clinical psychology and pastoral studies and is a licensed mental health professional. She helped organize the National Symposium on Children's Grief Support and the National Alliance for Grieving Children.