Children who have experienced the death of a parent, parental substance use, mental illness, incarceration, or other significant disruptions often carry grief that is not always obvious. Some losses have clear endings, while others leave children navigating uncertainty, unanswered questions, and ongoing hope, disappointment, or confusion.

Join speaker and author Jamie Tafoya for an interactive training focused on understanding grief and ambiguous loss in children. Drawing from both professional research and lived experience, Jamie will explore how loss may appear in children’s behaviors, emotions, relationships, and questions—and how trusted adults can respond with honesty, compassion, and confidence.

Topics will include:
• Understanding ambiguous loss and how it differs from death-related grief
• Common grief and loss behaviors in children and adolescents
• Supporting children after the death of a parent, including suicide loss
• Age-appropriate language for answering difficult questions
• Navigating conversations when children lack clear answers or closure
• Local grief resources, including Judi’s House
• Caring for yourself while supporting children through loss and trauma

Participants will leave with practical language, a deeper understanding of how grief affects children, tools they can use immediately in their work as CASA volunteers, and a copy of Jamie’s book, “I’m Small, but I Lost Someone Big”.

This training is provided by Child Advocates – Denver CASA.

Monday July 20, 2026
6:00pm – 7:30pm
In-Person: 1325 S Colorado Blvd Ste B402, Denver, CO 80222