Houston, TX -- (SBWIRE) -- 07/05/2016 -- A Houston grief counseling practice has added staff to help children and teenagers cope with grief.

Asma Rehman, who runs the Grief Recovery Center, said she was seeing many parents ask about grief counseling for their children. When the parents came in for help, children and their concerns came up during conversations.

"I realized that if I really want to help families heal and get their life back together, I had to help more than just parents. Children have to be part of the whole process," she said. "So, I hired clinicians that work with children (ages 5-12) and also teens. Instead of referring those clients to other therapists, I hired therapists who are trained to work with teens and children."

The addition has been welcomed by the adults who come to the Grief Recovery Center for help. Receiving the family counseling they need all in one place has been a boon, many say.

"We're also finding that parents may not need counseling, but they want to know about it before they bring the children in. We can explain the process in an adult way, while still showing how we adapt the counseling methods to the appropriate age of the child," Ms. Rehman said.

New therapy services for children include art, music, therapeutic games, play therapy and more. These services help children to express themselves and engage in a way that feels natural to them, Ms. Rehman said.

"Children love to draw and love music. They can express very complex emotions this way when they don't have the words to say how they feel or what they are going through," she said. "The key is being able to understand what they are saying through these forms of expression. The new counselors at Grief Recovery Center are trained and experienced in this."

A lot of people wonder if grief counseling is something children need. The Mayo Clinic says yes. The article "Specialists help ease the pain of loss" discusses this. "McKeeman (Randy McKeeman, M.Ed., CCLS, who supervises Mayo's Child Life Program in Rochester, MN) says it's best if parents talk to their surviving children, but their own grief or inability to find the right words may prevent it. A child life specialist may then offer to step in when a parent can't," the author wrote.

Grief Recovery Center recently relocated as well. Ms. Rehman said the new offices at The Preserve, off 610 Loop, in between TC Jester and Ella Boulevard, offer more space and better facilities for counseling.

Contact:
Asma Rehman
Grief Recovery Center
Address: 2000 North Loop West, Suite 210, Houston, TX 77018
Phone: 832-413-2410
Email: griefrecoverycenter2@gmail.com
Website: http://www.griefrecoveryhouston.com/