WATCH
Here is a series of DVDs created by The Dougy Center to use as educational tools for your community. We've also listed videos by others in the field that illustrate how to listen and be present when kids, teens, and adults are dealing with grief.
The Dougy Center - Supporting the Grieving Student DVD Trailer
The Dougy Center - Understanding Suicide, Supporting Children
DVD Trailer
This video is a resource for how to best support students, teachers and school communities after a death. The stories chronicled will provide a good foundation for responding to grief in your school. Whether you are a parent, teacher, concerned friend, school counselor, or educational administrator, the information contained in this DVD will give you a deeper understanding of grief and concrete strategies to support students who are dealing with a death.
Each year, 30,000 Americans die of suicide, leaving behind families—and sometimes young children—left to cope. Understanding Suicide, Supporting Children (24 minutes) provides insight into the emotions and experiences that children, teens, and families affected by a suicide death often go through, and offers ways to help. The DVD and guide are a resource for training purposes, or for general viewing by parents, therapists, counselors, and others.
Brene Brown - Empathy vs. Sympathy
This short animated video illustrates ways to create connection and presence when someone is going through a hard time. Great for parents, caregivers, teachers, and anyone looking for tips on what to say and not say when offering support.
Insights from educators, counselors, and administrators on what schools can do to support students when a classmate dies of suicide.
The Sesame Street When Families Grieve Toolkit includes short video clips, interactive guidebook, and tips on memorializing the person who died.
Megan Devine - How to Help a Grieving Friend
Megan Devine, creator of Refuge in Grief and author of It's Okay That You're Not Okay: Meeting Grief & Loss in a Culture that Doesn't Understand reminds us that "you can't jolly someone out of pain with a barrage of rainbows." In this animated video, she offers easy to implement ways to talk anyone in grief. Great for parents, caregivers, teachers, and anyone looking for suggestions on what to say and not say to someone who is grieving.
As part of their Road to Resilience partnership with children's bereavement programs, StoryCorps created a series of animated conversations with grieving children, teens, and their adults. Olivia talks with her mom Sasha about the day her father died and how life has changed. Be sure to watch the entire Road to Resilience series.
When working with grieving students from diverse cultural backgrounds, it's not necessary to know everything about a particular culture or identity in order to be supportive. This six-minute segment from "Cultural Humility: People, Principles, and Practices," a documentary by San Francisco State Professor Vivian Chávez, demonstrates how powerful it is to approach people from a place of not knowing and a willingness to explore how culture is a part of their grief.
Watch the full documentary