The Yilmaz Family Learn How To Cope With Grief (Earthquake Trauma Support)
Story by : Nida Sheriff | Psychology advisory : Sheena Vassiliades
Illustrated by : Nirupama VishwanathWhat is the book about?
This book follows 3 children of different ages as they cope with grief and the loss of loved ones in a natural disaster. Grief affects children of different ages very differently. Small children may not yet understand the permanence of death, and older children may experience feelings of guilt, an inability to move forward, and disruptions to their normal life. The story teaches children and parents that these emotions are all valid and expected in the aftermath of a natural disaster. Also included are guided conversation points and tailored coping exercises for children of all ages.
Very Small Children Ages 0-5
Noor, a kitten, represents younger children of ages 2-6. In order for young children to relate to the story and to avoid retriggering and retraumatisation we chose to depict Noor as a kitten. Noor survives an earthquake, but loses her mother. Noor learns how to cope with the grief of losing her mother and the trauma of her earthquake rescue.
Older Children Ages 6-12
Mohammed is a 12 year old boy who lost his father and brother in the earthquake. He experiences many complex emotions after the earthquake:
worry about the disaster occuring again.
disinterest in going to school and playing with his friends.
inability to focus on schoolwork.
regressing to wanting to be a small child again
Adolescents
Esma is a 16 year old girl and Mohammed’s sister. As a teenager, she has complicated feelings after the earthquake. These include:
Intense sadness and grief.
Worry about her education and future.
Stepping into a carer role for her younger siblings and mother.
Anger at the situation and her mother.
Low energy and lack of interest in her hobbies and friends.
Anxiety about her family’s situation and the future.
Topics covered in this book are:
Grounding exercises in this book:
Memory Box Exercise
An exercise to help children cope with grief and the loss of a loved one. Work together or by yourself to create a “memory box” to honour and remember your loved one.
How Am I Feeling?
This is an Emotional Awareness Exercise for children ages 7 and under. Young children learn to identify and name their own emotions to help them cope with grief.
Curious Counting
This is a grounding exercise for children ages 7 and older. By “curious counting” using all 5 senses children learn to focus on their feelings and senses in the present moment, helping them feel grounded.
Emotional Mapping Exercise
This is an emotional awareness and grounding exercise for teenagers. By filling out our template teenagers learn to map their own emotions and the causes for feeling each emotion.
Key themes in this book:
Helping young children understand and cope with death and grief.
Understanding children’s complex emotions after a natural disaster.
Helping children cope with loss of a parent or family member.
Using grounding exercises to help children cope with grief.
Supporting teenagers after a natural disaster.
This book is also available in:
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