Helping Children Smile Again with Amanda Seyderhelm

S2 #13 If you can't say it, sing it with Sophie Garner

"If you can't say it, sing it" is not only Sophie Garner's mantra, it's the title of her new book, a journal going deeper into supporting children in navigating their emotions through creative expression. Having started her professional career with the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain (1991-1992 Maggie May and Amphibias Spangulatos), a determination to succeed and share her passions emerged, leading Sophie to become the first artist to play the London O2 Arena, setting a standard to beat by artists who followed in her footsteps. And others soon noticed Sophie’s talents, giving her opportunities to travel across Europe and the Middle East with her four studio albums, and allowing her to support artists including Mcfly, Sugababes and Will Young. A strong leader, inspired and trusted, Sophie fronts and manages several professional bands, writing, coproducing and sharing her expertise with as many students as she can, strengthening the talent, confidence, writing and vocal technique of the artists of our future. A natural educator and full of energy, Sophie’s passions and goals stem from believing in the true, holistic and deep effects of music, and sharing the gift of music, as a therapy and a life skill, to help others learn to comfortably express themselves, allowing her students to grow in confidence and develop socially. Sophie is a great communicator and easy to follow, which allows students to excel creatively, and this is what Sophie thrives on. She opens up her musical log during our magical conversation. About Sophie Sophie began her career as a professional singer straight after leaving school 30 years ago.  She was the very first artist to play London's iconic O2 Arena!  She is a vocal coach, choir leader, and expert music specialist working with schools, adults with brain injury and dementia. Sophie has a master's degree in her specialist area of the benefits of singing on wellbeing and mental health.  During lockdown, she became the published author of 'The Creative Songwriting Journal' and 'If you can't say it sing it!' Sophie is a public speaker and facilitator and is now working with schools and businesses throughout UK, providing her powerful and unique songwriting workshops, teacher training and presentations. Connect with Sophie www.sophiegarner.com [http://www.sophiegarner.com/] Twitter:  @sophiegarner1 [https://twitter.com/sophiegarner1] Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/sophie.garner.1848] Connect with Amanda Seyderhelm Visit my website to download my free eBook 10 Simple Play Therapy Techniques You Can Use To Help Your Child With Grief, Loss and Change [https://helpingchildrensmileagain.com/] If you are supporting a bereaved child, or know someone who is, you can purchase my books - Isaac and the Red Jumper [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Isaac-Red-Jumper-Amanda-Seyderhelm/dp/0957214618] (for 4-10 yr olds) and Helping Children Cope with Loss and Change [https://www.routledge.com/Helping-Children-Cope-with-Loss-and-Change-A-Guide-for-Professionals-and/Seyderhelm/p/book/9781911186281] @TheKidDecoder  [https://twitter.com/thekiddecoder]on Twitter @amandaseyderhelm [https://www.instagram.com/amandaseyderhelm/] on Instagram and LinkedIn Help shape the content of my podcast - Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts "The Heping Children Smile Again podcast has been massively beneficial in helping me unlock how to open discussions with a child going through bereavement – thank you Amanda!."  <-- If that sounds like you, please do rate, review, follow and share my podcast. Your feedback helps shape the content and allows me to support more people battling grief.

S2 #12 Helping children to engage with their grief in order to heal with Justin Bowen

After his wife died in 2016, Justin Bowen wanted to create a resource for Schools based on the caring support his young children received from their local School in Worcestershire. Be The Rainbow is that resource. His young daughter painted the rainbow on the book's front cover during lockdown, which Justin says gave both his children the chance to play at home - water fights in the garden, climbing trees - and not be defined by their grief. The rainbow represents the hope after the storm of grief. What a stunning metaphor! We often hear the phrase, 'time is a great healer', but Justin believes that healing comes through engaging with our grief, not just by allowing time to pass by. As adults, this means being emotionally agile enough to hold our children when they are engaged in their grief puddles. For busy Schools, Justin has translated this into a practical and accessible 3 step formula: 1/ Take a systematic approach to bereavement in School settings. 2/ Make a simple plan. 3/ Deliver the plan. Remember that grief isn't linear, so keep the plan under review. A child's needs will change as they develop and grow. What a 5 year old child needs will be different when they are 8 or 9. What remains constant for children are the important anniversaries. Remembering those is key to helping children feel their grief is being respected and their loved ones remembered. About Justin Since becoming a widowed parent in 2019, Justin has written two books. The first, 'Fighting for this Life', tells the story of his family's journey with cancer as told through the Facebook posts his late wife wrote during her illness. His most recent book, 'Be The Rainbow', is a practical guide for professionals supporting bereaved children in primary schools.  Prior to becoming a writer, Justin had a 20-year career working in public services, including leading a Youth Offending Team and managing a residential home for children who had experienced abuse. He also ran his own business for over 5 years. Justin has two children, aged 8 and 9 years old. Connect with Justin https://betherainbow.co.uk/ [https://betherainbow.co.uk/] Twitter: @justinbowen71 [https://twitter.com/JustinBowen71] Facebook: @betherainbowbook [https://www.facebook.com/betherainbowbook/] Connect with Amanda Seyderhelm Visit my website to download my free eBook 10 Simple Play Therapy Techniques You Can Use To Help Your Child With Grief, Loss and Change [https://helpingchildrensmileagain.com/] If you are supporting a bereaved child, or know someone who is, you can purchase my books - Isaac and the Red Jumper [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Isaac-Red-Jumper-Amanda-Seyderhelm/dp/0957214618] (for 4-10 yr olds) and Helping Children Cope with Loss and Change [https://www.routledge.com/Helping-Children-Cope-with-Loss-and-Change-A-Guide-for-Professionals-and/Seyderhelm/p/book/9781911186281] @TheKidDecoder  [https://twitter.com/thekiddecoder]on Twitter @amandaseyderhelm [https://www.instagram.com/amandaseyderhelm/] on Instagram and LinkedIn Help shape the content of my podcast - Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts "The Heping Children Smile Again podcast has been massively beneficial in helping me unlock how to open discussions with a child going through bereavement – thank you Amanda!."  <-- If that sounds like you, please do rate, review, follow and share my podcast. Your feedback helps shape the content and allows me to support more people battling grief.

S2 #11 Is there such a thing as "Good Grief" following a bereavement with Jane Harris

Can there be anything called ‘good’ grief especially when it follows from the death of a child? Surely grief is that most abject of conditions in which you are thrown into an endless darkness, where despair overcomes hope, and longing for the loved one lost is a pain beyond endurance? How can this be good? Jane Harris and Jimmy Edmonds have created THE GOOD GRIEF PROJECT in order to share their experience of grief and to help others to find an active and creative response to the expression of their grief. Their son Josh died in a road accident in Vietnam in 2011 while he was on a six month tour of the Far East. He was 22. Some see grief as a passing phase – a moment in which the trauma of loss recedes into time and that the emptiness of one’s heart gradually heals. New events and new memories will, they say, overwrite those of the one we loved and the history that s/he inhabited. Is that normal? Is that what we call a good grief? Or is grief, especially the grief for a child, something more akin to a state of being, changing over time, but a new condition, a new narrative if you like, that we will live with for the rest of our lives. THE GOOD GRIEF PROJECT is their way of addressing this. My conversation with Jane Harris explores the project which is based on ideas that flow from the concept of ‘continuing bonds’, of not wanting to cut off from the deceased, but of building a new kind of relationship with your child.  About Jane and Jimmy Jane is a psychotherapist, bereavement specialist and supervisor with special interest in family relations. She is responsible for film production, public speaking and delivery of mindfulness and arts based workshops and courses. Jimmy is a documentary film editor with over 100 credits on various TV productions including BAFTA winning ‘Chosen’ for Channel 4 and his own personal film ‘Breaking the Silence’ for BBC 1. He’s responsible for film and website production and delivery of photography based courses. Connect with The Good Grief Project https://thegoodgriefproject.co.uk/ [https://thegoodgriefproject.co.uk/] Facebook: @thegoodgriefproject [https://www.facebook.com/thegoodgriefproject/] Twitter: @goodgriefproj [https://twitter.com/GoodGriefProj] Instagram: @thegoodgriefproject [https://www.instagram.com/thegoodgriefproject/] Connect with Amanda Seyderhelm Visit my website to download my free eBook 10 Simple Play Therapy Techniques You Can Use To Help Your Child With Grief, Loss and Change [https://helpingchildrensmileagain.com/] If you are supporting a bereaved child, or know someone who is, you can purchase my books - Isaac and the Red Jumper [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Isaac-Red-Jumper-Amanda-Seyderhelm/dp/0957214618] (for 4-10 yr olds) and Helping Children Cope with Loss and Change [https://www.routledge.com/Helping-Children-Cope-with-Loss-and-Change-A-Guide-for-Professionals-and/Seyderhelm/p/book/9781911186281] @TheKidDecoder  [https://twitter.com/thekiddecoder]on Twitter @amandaseyderhelm [https://www.instagram.com/amandaseyderhelm/] on Instagram and LinkedIn Help shape the content of my podcast - Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts "The Heping Children Smile Again podcast has been massively beneficial in helping me unlock how to open discussions with a child going through bereavement – thank you Amanda!."  <-- If that sounds like you, please do rate, review, follow and share my podcast. Your feedback helps shape the content and allows me to support more people battling grief.

S2 #10 How to talk to a child about bereavement with Ann Chalmers, Chief Executive, Child Bereavement UK

Anyone who has experienced the loss of a loved one will know that you never stop grieving for those you have loved, and what an important journey it is to find a way to live with that loss. Child Bereavement UK has been helping families facing that journey since 1994 and that is why I'm delighted to be in conversation with Ann Chalmers, the Chief Executive of the charity. If you have been concerned about how to talk to bereaved children, and what questions to ask, this conversation will be a helpful guide. We talk about the importance of not making any assumptions and keeping the conversation as open and honest as possible. Instead of 'getting over grief', Ann talks about the ways in which we learn to live with our loss, to grow around it, which allows us to accommodate our grief in a healthy and connected way. Asking for help when you are bereaved can feel daunting, which is why Child Bereavement UK have so many accessible resources available to choose from via their website, www.childbereavement.org [http://www.childbereavement.org/] to make starting your journey a little easier. About Ann Chalmers Ann has been involved in multi-disciplinary training of professionals in the area of loss and bereavement for over thirty years. She holds a BACP Accredited Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling and a University Accredited Diploma in Bereavement Counselling, and has provided counselling for individuals, couples and staff within the NHS and for children and young people within the voluntary sector. She has been Chief Executive of Child Bereavement UK since 2003 and has been involved in all aspects of the charity’s training, consultancy and service development work. She has contributed to a number of professional publications and books, and has presented nationally and internationally for the charity. Learn more about Child Bereavement UK Facebook https://www.facebook.com/childbereavementuk [https://www.facebook.com/childbereavementuk] Twitter @cbukhelp [https://twitter.com/cbukhelp] Instagram @childbereavementuk [https://www.instagram.com/childbereavementuk/] YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/childbereavementchar [https://www.youtube.com/user/childbereavementchar] Connect with Amanda Seyderhelm Visit my website to download my free eBook 10 Simple Play Therapy Techniques You Can Use To Help Your Child With Grief, Loss and Change [https://helpingchildrensmileagain.com/] If you are supporting a bereaved child, or know someone who is, you can purchase my books - Isaac and the Red Jumper [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Isaac-Red-Jumper-Amanda-Seyderhelm/dp/0957214618] (for 4-10 yr olds) and Helping Children Cope with Loss and Change [https://www.routledge.com/Helping-Children-Cope-with-Loss-and-Change-A-Guide-for-Professionals-and/Seyderhelm/p/book/9781911186281] @TheKidDecoder  [https://twitter.com/thekiddecoder]on Twitter @amandaseyderhelm [https://www.instagram.com/amandaseyderhelm/] on Instagram and LinkedIn

S2 #09 What can parents do 'in the meantime' while they wait for a professional assessment with Safeguarding expert Kayla Shepherd

Waiting can be stressful. While the waiting lists for child mental health assessments get longer, our anxiety ramps up. Parents and children wait in limbo. Feeling helpless. Do professionals hold all the answers? What can we do ‘in the meantime’ period while we wait for a professional assessment? According to Safeguarding expert Kayla Shepherd, staying in this anxious state can disempower us, and keep us focused on our losses. The key to coping with our anxiety while we wait, is to understand both the risk and protective factors our children are facing as they struggle to process big changes like bereavement, moving house, moving school, losing friends. These keys will help us to feel less frightened. Taking action at home, and at school, enables us to stay in a solution-focused state which is key to counteracting feelings of helplessness. Kayla is Managing Director of Safety Mode Ltd and Chair Of The Board Of Trustees at Andy's Angels. She leads safeguarding training courses about the risk and protective factors, teaching parents how to open difficult conversations with teenagers, how to assess whether your child is becoming addicted to online gaming, and maintain a sense of connection and belonging. She also set up a Grief Play Cafe for children in her community following the death of her husband which brings grieving families together to share their stories. A rich conversation full of practical strategies you can implement immediately. Don’t let the waiting period derail you. About Kayla and Safety Mode Ltd Kayla is an experienced instructor having developed her career in childcare and training. After managing several local nurseries, Kayla developed a passion for training and mentoring.  In 2016 Safety Mode Limited was born, offering dynamic training and mentoring for businesses, parents and individuals, Specialising in First Aid, Safeguarding and First Aid for Mental Health for children, young people and adults.   Please find our free awareness of children's mental health Facebook lives on our Facebook page here: (1) Safety Mode Limited | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/safetymodeltd] with guest speakers talking about Sleep, risk factors of children's mental health, how to build self-esteem and confidence in children and how art and music can support our children and young people's mental health and well-being. LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kayla-shepherd-a2951a138/] www.safetymode.co.uk [https://safetymode.co.uk/] Connect with Amanda Seyderhelm Visit my website to download my free eBook 10 Simple Play Therapy Techniques You Can Use To Help Your Child With Grief, Loss and Change [https://helpingchildrensmileagain.com/] If you are supporting a bereaved child, or know someone who is, you can purchase my books - Isaac and the Red Jumper [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Isaac-Red-Jumper-Amanda-Seyderhelm/dp/0957214618] (for 4-10 yr olds) and Helping Children Cope with Loss and Change [https://www.routledge.com/Helping-Children-Cope-with-Loss-and-Change-A-Guide-for-Professionals-and/Seyderhelm/p/book/9781911186281] @TheKidDecoder  [https://twitter.com/thekiddecoder]on Twitter @amandaseyderhelm [https://www.instagram.com/amandaseyderhelm/] on Instagram and LinkedIn