The good grief workshop : a case study

Abstract

The Good Grief Workshop is a unique Canadian group-delivered creative arts program for children who have experienced the death of a loved one. The purpose of the present study was to acquire a detailed understanding of the program with the additional intent of identifying implications for the school context. A case study research design was used and data collected from multiple sources. The student researcher participated in two training sessions for volunteer facilitators and then participated as a facilitator in the November 2006 offering of the Good Grief Workshop in Montreal, Quebec. Six individuals were interviewed: four volunteer facilitators, two former child participants, one of whom subsequently returned as a volunteer facilitator. Results suggest that the program is exemplary and represents contemporary directions in theory and practice. Findings include a rich description of the program illustrated with photos, and eight themes identified in the interview data: (a) motivation for participating in the workshop; (b) the importance of finding and creating a safe place, (c) being open in discussing death, (d) the experience of grief as not something you get over, (e) death education in schools, (f) challenges associated with participating in the workshop, (g) the use of music as an emotional release, and (h) ideas for future directions. Findings have implications for researchers as well as for helping professionals working with children and their families.