Playful Beginnings

Supporting Children through Grief and Loss with Dr. Jenifer Balch


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🎙️ New Episode: Supporting Grieving Children After the Texas Floods with Drs. Jenifer Balch, Kristie Opiola, and Maggie Parker

In this powerful episode of Playful Beginnings, we come together in the wake of the devastating floods in Texas to talk about how children experience grief—and how parents, teachers, and communities can show up to support them.

Dr. Jenifer Balch, an expert in grief and trauma, joins Dr. Kristie Opiola and Dr. Maggie Parker to share insights into the ways children may express loss through behavior, play, and silence. Together, we explore the unique ways grief shows up in childhood and how adults can respond with presence, compassion, and developmentally appropriate care.

From creating space for big feelings to offering consistent routines and emotional safety, this episode offers practical, heartfelt guidance for anyone walking alongside grieving children.

Whether you're a caregiver, educator, or mental health professional, this conversation is a reminder: you don't have to fix grief—you just have to be willing to witness it.

🎧 Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and playtherapyspace.com

#ChildGrief #TexasFloods #SupportingChildren #PlayTherapy #GriefAndLoss #PlayfulBeginningsPodcast #MentalHealthSupport #CommunityCare #DrJeniferBalch #DrKristieOpiola #DrMaggieParker #PlayHeals

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Playful BeginningsBy Maggie Parker and Kristie Opiola