Ways to Talk to Children
Developed by our team of clinical experts, the Ways to Talk series provides compassionate, evidence-based guidance for navigating difficult conversations with children of all ages — from school shootings to grief, divorce to online safety.
Starting the Conversation
Every day, children are exposed to news and events that can feel overwhelming — school shootings, war, loss, and other difficult realities. Children look to the adults in their lives for guidance, reassurance, and emotional safety.
Whether you're a parent, caregiver, teacher, or clinician, these resources give you the language, tools, and confidence to respond with calm, clarity, and compassion — providing children with the support they need during uncertain times.
Ways to Talk Video Series
School Shootings
The horror and heartbreak of a school shooting — or any act of senseless violence — can feel impossible to comprehend, even for adults. Our goal is to help you respond with calm, clarity, and compassion, providing children with the reassurance and emotional safety they need during uncertain times.
Center for Child Counseling
Trusted Resources
Grief & Loss
Grief is the intense emotional reaction and distress in response to loss. It can encompass death, separation, or the ending of a close relationship. The thought of having to explain grief to a child can leave us uncertain about the best way to approach the topic. These resources can help you navigate that conversation with empathy and age-appropriate care.
Center for Child Counseling
War & Conflict
When images of war and conflict fill the news, children are often exposed to more than they can process. Whether the conflict feels far away or close to home, children need adults who can help them make sense of what they're seeing and feeling — with honesty and age-appropriate reassurance.
Suicide
Talking to children about suicide can feel frightening, but avoiding the subject doesn't protect them — it leaves them without the tools and language they need. Research shows that open, compassionate conversations about suicide reduce stigma and save lives.
Center for Child Counseling
Preventing Child Sexual Abuse
Talking about sexual abuse prevention can feel uncomfortable, but it is one of the most important conversations you can have with your child. Teaching children body safety, appropriate boundaries, and how to report unsafe situations empowers them to protect themselves and speak up when something is wrong.
Center for Child Counseling
Divorce
Children often feel confused, scared, and responsible when parents separate. How you talk about divorce — and how you continue to show up as a co-parent — has a direct impact on your child's emotional well-being. These resources help you approach the conversation with honesty, reassurance, and love.
Big Emotions & Crises
From immigration fears to mental health emergencies, children sometimes face overwhelming emotions they don't have the language or skills to manage. These resources help you respond with calm, de-escalate tense situations, and support your child through acute stress.
Tip Sheets
Tweens & Teens
Adolescence brings unique pressures — body image concerns, social media's influence, and growing independence that can sometimes feel like withdrawal. These tip sheets, available in English and Spanish, give you practical strategies for connecting with your pre-teen or teenager.
Tip Sheets — English
A Way of Being with Children
Behind every difficult conversation is a relationship. A Way of Being is the cornerstone philosophy of Center for Child Counseling — grounded in decades of research into childhood brain development, attachment science, and the HOPE framework. When children feel safe, seen, soothed, and secure, they can navigate even the most difficult moments with resilience.
Explore A Way of Being →The Conversation Starts Here
These resources are a starting point — but if your family needs personalized support, our clinical team is here. We provide counseling, therapy, and family services across Palm Beach County.