Bigger, Badder, Bolder and Louder: What Infants, Toddlers and Preschoolers Are Telling You About Their Grief -11:30 -12:30
Presenters: Erin Troup, LPC, NCC, CT, IMH-E (IV Clinical)
Patrick McKelvey, MS, LPC, NCC
Early loss of a primary attachment figure for infants, toddlers and preschool children are inherently complex and pervasive experiences, impacting a child’s experience over a lifetime. These youngest community members are highly vulnerable, often forgotten and lack emotional understanding and capacity to manage early grief on their own. This presentation will explore ways in which providers can develop an understanding for the use of practical trauma-informed perspectives to overlay within current programming models (peer support or clinical) to develop an environment that is conducive for healing to those who experienced early traumatic losses and enhancing healing experiences for all children.
Learning Objectives
- Participants will identify the significance of early attachment relationships as well as cornerstone cognitive, social, emotional and behavioral developmental milestones within a child’s first years of life and how those are potentially altered due to an early attachment loss.
- Participants will be able to interpret children’s behaviors, including those considered difficult or highly challenging, as a justifiable communication of their need for safety and security in the face of profound loss.
- Participants will identify practical strategies, interventions and activities to assist in the development of adaptive functioning in early childhood following a loss and become fluent in their language of behavior.