Healing The Bereaved Child
by Alan Wolfelt
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About This Book
First published in 1996. One spring morning a gardener noticed an unfamiliar seedling poking through the ground near the rocky, untidy edge of his garden ... So begins the parable that sets the tone for this inspiring, heartfelt new book for caregivers to bereaved children. By comparing grief counseling to gardening, Dr. Wolfelt frees caregivers of the traditional medical model of bereavement care, which implies that grief is an illness that must be cured. He suggests that caregivers instead emb
Our Review
This compassionate guide for adults supporting grieving children offers a refreshingly gentle approach to bereavement care through the extended metaphor of gardening. Rather than treating childhood grief as a problem to be solved, the book presents it as a natural process requiring patient nurturing, much like tending a delicate seedling. The author thoughtfully reimagines the caregiver's role from clinical therapist to compassionate gardener who provides the right conditions for healing to unfold organically. This foundational perspective shift creates an accessible framework for understanding children's emotional needs after loss.
What distinguishes this resource is its practical wisdom for creating the emotional safety necessary for young mourners to process their feelings at their own pace. The gardening analogy provides concrete, relatable language that helps adults move beyond clinical terminology to connect more authentically with bereaved children. Parents, counselors, and anyone supporting young people through loss will find especially valuable guidance on recognizing and responding to grief's unique manifestations in childhood. The result is an empowering approach that honors each child's individual journey through sorrow toward healing.
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