Season 2, Ep.12: Emotional Co-Regulation: Strategies for Parents to Foster Resilience in Grieving Children with Dr Jade Redfern, Clinical Psychologist
Grieving parents often grapple with profound fear that they are failing their children amidst overwhelming loss and forgetting to prioritise their own emotional needs. In this powerful episode of A Guide to After Life, host Dr. Monika Wieliczko is joined by a clinical psychologist, Dr. Jade Redfern. Together, they delve into nurturing emotional resilience in children who have lost a parent and unpack the importance of emotional co-regulation for both parents and children. By supporting their own emotional well-being, parents can create a safe space where children feel secure and understood, ultimately fostering resilience in the face of grief.
Main Topics Discussed:
How grief manifests differently in children at various stages of development.
The crucial role emotional regulation plays for grieving parents and their children.
Creating a nurturing space that encourages authentic emotional expression.
The power of community support and co-regulation for families in grief.
Key Insights:
Children often feel they must shoulder the emotional burden of their surviving parent, intensifying their own grief.
Emotional regulation isn’t about always being calm but rather acknowledging and navigating a wide spectrum of feelings.
A structured environment with clear boundaries instills security in children as they mourn.
Validating emotions like anger and sadness is essential for children’s healthy emotional development.
Notable Quotes:
"Feelings want to be felt; they don't want to be fixed." — Dr. Jade Redfern
"As parents, we need to perceive ourselves as capable so we can foster resilience in our children." — Dr. Jade Redfern
"Children often look to us for emotional assurance: If you are okay, I am okay." — Dr. Jade Redfern
Free resources:
Ready to move from surviving to thriving after loss? Visit guidetoafterlife.com to access our free Grief MOT program - your first-aid kit for grief.Don't forget to subscribe to A Guide to After Life podcast list to be notified of more conversations about navigating grief: https://www.guidetoafterlife.com/podcast-signup Book a free 15-consultation with me to discuss the results of your Grief MOTFind out about Grief Group Therapy that I offerUnsure whether to see a psychologist, psychotherapist or counsellor or grief coach for grief support? Read this blog post to find out more.Jade's resources:
How To Keep Cool, Calm And Connected During Your Child’s Emotional Storm: https://jade-redfern.mykajabi.com/keepcoolcalmandconnected My website: https://www.drjaderedfern.co.uk/
Inside Out Parenting – membership & community for parents: https://www.drjaderedfern.co.uk/inside-out-parenting-membership Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjaderedfern/ FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theconsciousparentgroupJade's Resources:
Guest's Bio:
Hi, I'm Jade a Clinical Psychologist, trauma-informed therapist, parenting coach and (imperfect) mum of three.
I throw myself into life and work with ambition, heart and soul and I'm best known for my down-to-earth, compassionate, and insightful approach to therapy and coaching.
Child development and the parent-child relationship have always been a special interest of mine. However, it was when I became a parent myself, with the challenges and obstacles that I have overcome, that my passion for helping parents began.
I am a huge believer that the greatest gift a parent can give their child is their peace and happiness. So, by helping parents develop greater self-awareness and understanding of how our childhood shapes our parenting, we can raise compassionate, confident children who thrive together.
Your Host’s BIO:
Dr Monika Wieliczko, Chartered Clinical Psychologist D.Clin.Psych, MSc, MA
Psychologist by profession, and a widow, in private.
Connect with me on social media:
A Guide to After Life
A Guide to After Life is your go-to podcast for the young and widowed. This is your weekly space to help you live through grief.
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- Latest episode: 2025-06-03
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