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In this episode, we sit down with child life specialist Katie Ransdell to explore how children experience grief and how hospice professionals can better support them. Katie shares her journey into the field of child life, practical insights for working with grieving children, and meaningful stories from her work that highlight the power of presence and connection.
About Our Guest
Katie Ransdell is a certified child life specialist dedicated to supporting children and families through serious illness, grief, and loss. Her work focuses on helping children express emotions, understand complex experiences, and feel seen and supported during difficult times.
Episode Summary
What does it look like to truly support a grieving child? Child life specialist Katie Ransdell joins us to share her expertise in helping children navigate serious illness, loss, and grief. With compassion and clarity, Katie explains how her role developed, what child life specialists actually do, and how hospice teams can provide developmentally appropriate, emotionally attuned care to children.
Whether you are a chaplain, social worker, nurse, or volunteer, this conversation offers practical tools and heartfelt encouragement for engaging children during some of life's most difficult moments.
What You'll Learn
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How Katie Ransdell became a child life specialist and what drew her to this work
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The role of a child life specialist in supporting children through illness, death, and grief
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Common misconceptions about how children understand death at different developmental stages
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Practical ways hospice professionals can show up for grieving children with confidence and compassion
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The importance of play, language, and presence in helping children process loss
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Memorable stories from Katie's work that illustrate the impact of simple, meaningful connection
Key Takeaways
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Children grieve differently than adults, and their understanding of death evolves with age and development
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Honest, age-appropriate communication builds trust and reduces fear
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Presence matters more than having the "right" words
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Small interactions—through play, art, or conversation—can have lasting impact
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Hospice teams can support both children and their caregivers by modeling openness and emotional safety
You can learn more about Katie and her organization, Grief Garden, at Grief Garden | Children's grief support | Omaha, NE, USA
Connect with Harbor Hospice & Beacon Hospice:
- Follow Harbor Hospice on Facebook. Follow Beacon Hospice on Facebook.
- For more information about Harbor Hospice, please visit harborhospice.com
- For more information about Beacon Hospice, please visit beacon.life
- For more information about HarborCare & BeaconCare Palliative Services, please visit myharborcare.com
- Please send your questions or comments to the podcast host at jfenter@harborhcs.com.
