SPECIALIST SUPPORT FOR BEREAVEMENT & LOSS
When someone important dies, a child's world can change too.
Children and young people experience grief in their own ways. They may feel sadness, anger, confusion or fear, ask difficult questions, become quieter or more unsettled — or seem as though nothing has changed at all.
We offer psychological support for children and young people aged 6+ who are living with bereavement and loss, alongside support for parents and carers trying to understand what their child needs.
Eastbourne & online across the UK
Grief can affect much more than how a child feels
When someone dies, children may be trying to make sense of something enormous while the rest of life continues around them.
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Family routines can change. Relationships can feel different. Adults may be grieving too. There may be new questions, new responsibilities or worries about what happens next.
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Grief can show up in many different ways — through emotions, behaviour, sleep, school, friendships, confidence or changes in how a child sees themselves and their world.
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Some children want to talk about the person who died. Others find it easier to play, draw, write or simply have someone alongside them.
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Therapy offers a space to make sense of what has happened, at the child's pace and in ways that feel right for them.
What might bring you here?
Every child and family experiences loss differently. Here are some reasons families get in touch.
Making sense of what happened
Questions about death, dying, what happened and what happens next.
Big or changing feelings
Sadness, anger, guilt, fear, confusion or feelings that are difficult to explain.
When grief shows up in everyday life
Changes in behaviour, sleep, school, friendships, concentration or confidence.
Changes at home
Family routines, relationships and roles can all feel different after someone dies.
Worries about losing someone else
Fear about another loved one dying, increased worries about health or safety, or difficulty being apart from people they care about.
Remembering and staying connected
Finding ways to remember someone who has died, talk about them and make space for grief while continuing to live.
These are examples, not a checklist. You don't need to know exactly what's happening — or whether therapy is the right thing — before you get in touch.
There isn't one way to do therapy
Children make sense of grief in different ways. We can adapt our approach to help them explore what has happened, express feelings, make sense of memories and changes, and find ways of coping — at their own pace.
Talk
Talking about the person who died, what has changed and the questions or feelings that come with it.
Create
Using drawing, art and creative activities to explore feelings, memories and experiences that may be difficult to put into words.
Build
Using practical, hands-on activities to explore what has changed and what can help a child feel more secure.
Play
Using play to explore worries, relationships, memories and questions about death and loss.
Write
Using writing, journalling, letters, stories or drawing to explore thoughts, feelings and things that may feel difficult to say aloud.
Role play
Using role play to practise conversations, situations or changes that may feel unfamiliar or difficult.
Move
Using movement and physical activity as another way to express and regulate emotions.
A space — and a way of working — that adapts
The therapy space has been deliberately designed with different ways of working within easy reach. Creative and play-based materials are visible and accessible, while there is also plenty of room for talking, reflecting and simply being — something that can feel particularly important for teenagers and young people who aren't looking for a room full of toys.
But the space is only part of it. How therapy is delivered matters just as much.
Therapy is delivered by me, Zara O’Brien, founder of The Children’s Psychology Hub. My approach is warm, down-to-earth and adaptable. There is room for humour and play alongside conversations that are sensitive, serious or difficult. Children don't have to sit still, speak perfectly or behave like they're in school. They can relax, be themselves and explore their experiences in ways that feel natural to them.
When someone has died, there doesn't have to be pressure to talk about grief in a particular way or at a particular pace. Sometimes we talk. Sometimes we make things. Sometimes we laugh. Sometimes things are really hard.
There is room for all of it.
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Curious about who I am and how I work? You can discover more about my background, experience here
What happens next?
1
A brief conversation about what's been happening, what you're concerned about
and whether I might be able to help.
Free 15-minute call
2
Assessment
We explore your child's strengths, needs and difficulties, alongside what you would like support with.
3
Ongoing therapy
Regular 50-minute sessions tailored to your child, with progress reviewed and parent involvement agreed as appropriate.
At a glance
WHERE
Eastbourne, East Sussex Online across the UK
AGES
Children and young people aged 6–17
SESSIONS
50 minutes
FREQUENCY
Usually weekly
to begin with
FEE
£65
per 50min session
Parent involvement is discussed and agreed as part of the therapeutic process.​
PARENTS
Your child's privacy matters
Confidentiality and safeguarding, including the limits of confidentiality, will be explained clearly at the beginning of therapy.
Frequently asked questions
Not Sure What You Need?
That's completely fine! Reach out to us if you're feeling unsure, explain a little about what your concerns are and the difficulties you're facing and we will happily think it through with you.