Does this sound like your child?
When a child loses someone they love, their world changes. Grief looks different for every child and can show up in ways parents do not always expect.​
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Kids and teens who are grieving may:
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Have big emotional outbursts or seem unusually quiet
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Ask the same questions about death or loss over and over
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Struggle with sleep, eating, or daily routines
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Complain of stomachaches, headaches, or other physical pains
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Withdraw from friends and activities they used to enjoy
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Show anger or irritability at school or at home
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Have difficulty concentrating or keeping up with schoolwork
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Express guilt, fears, or worries about more loss
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These challenges are not signs of weakness. They are natural ways the brain and body respond to loss and change.
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Many grieving children also carry incredible love, sensitivity, and resilience, but those strengths can get buried under sadness, confusion, or fear.
At PlayWorks, We Help Kids and Teens With Grief Thrive
Children often re-grieve at different stages of development. A loss that happened years ago can resurface with new questions and feelings as they grow.
At PlayWorks, therapy is a safe and supportive space where children can express grief in ways that feel natural to them. We use play and creative approaches to help kids process loss, make meaning, and begin to heal. Kids & teens will:
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Express emotions through play, art, or storytelling
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Learn calming strategies for overwhelming feelings
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Build understanding of death and loss at an age-appropriate level
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Strengthen coping skills for daily life and school stress
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Honor the person or relationship they lost
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Rebuild confidence, safety, and hope for the future
Play therapy helps grieving children express difficult emotions, develop healthy coping skills, and strengthen resilience in the face of loss.
- Research on play therapy & childhood bereavement (Webb, 2010; Carey, 2016)
Why is Play Based Therapy So Effective for Grief?
Grief activates the same brain regions as physical pain. Play therapy helps calm the nervous system and create new pathways for resilience and healing.
Because children process their feelings differently than adults. They may not always have the words to describe their loss, but they can show it through play, art, and stories.
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Play therapy helps regulate the brain’s stress and memory systems, including the amygdala and hippocampus. This allows children to feel safer while making sense of their experiences.
Over time, kids can learn to:
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Name and manage difficult emotions like sadness, anger, or guilt
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Process grief and loss without shutting down
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Build healthy coping skills for the future
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Strengthen family and peer relationships
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Develop resilience and hope after loss
Why Wilmington Parents Choose PlayWorks for Grief Therapy
We understand child grief
Our therapists are trained to support kids through loss with developmentally appropriate and compassionate approaches.
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We make therapy engaging and safe
From art and storytelling to video games and sand tray, every session is tailored to your child’s needs so they feel safe and engaged.
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We support YOU too
We provide parent check-ins, progress updates, and practical tools you can use at home to support your child’s growth.
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We honor the whole child
We don’t just target “bad behavior” or “symptoms.” We support resilience, empathy, and emotional growth that lasts a lifetime.
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We’re inclusive and affirming
Our therapists are trained in trauma-informed care, LGBTQ+ affirming care, and neurodiversity-affirming approaches. Every child and family belongs here.
You’re Not Alone & It’s Not Too Late
We know grief can leave kids feeling lost and parents feeling powerless. At PlayWorks, therapy is child-first, family-focused, and rooted in neuroscience. It is also creative and playful, which means children can process their emotions in the way that feels most natural to them.​
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Together, we will help your child process loss, carry forward memories, and rediscover safety and hope.
We’re located in Wilmington, NC and work with children, teens, and families across the Cape Fear region.Schedule your free 20-minute parent consult or start the intake process here.