Seeds Facilitator GuideWeek 1 Planting the Seeds Theme: Safety, Rapport, and the Garden Metaphor Session Goals • Establish a safe, non-judgmental space for the student. • Introduce the "Healing Garden" metaphor for grief. • Define grief simply: "The love and feelings we have when someone dies." Materials Needed "My Garden Journal" Intro Page Colored pencils or markers A small "comfort object" (optional) 1. Warm-Up: The Icebreaker (5-10 mins) Start by getting to know the student beyond their grief. Ask "The High/Low/Buffalo" (High point of the week, low point, and something random/weird). "I'm so glad we're getting to spend this time together. This is a space where you can say anything, feel anything, or even just be quiet." 2. The Garden Metaphor (10 mins) Explain that grief is like a garden. Sometimes it feels messy, sometimes it's quiet, and it needs tending. Just like a garden, healing takes time and different kinds of care. Key Concept: Grief isn't something to "fix," it's something we learn to grow with. 3. Activity: Planting the Seeds (15 mins) Use the "Intro Page" worksheet. Have the student identify who they are honoring (if comfortable) and what they want to feel better about. Prompt 1 "If your heart were a garden right now, what would it look like? (Wild, quiet, stormy, empty?)" Prompt 2 "What is one thing you hope to learn or find in our time together?" 4. Closing (5 mins) Establish the "Safety Plan" for the session. If things get too heavy, the student can use a "Stop" signal or take a "Body Break" (stretch/water). Healing Hearts Garden • Session 1 Facilitator Guide © 2026 Educational Resources
Garden Journal IntroMy Healing Garden Week 1: Planting the Seeds Name: Date: "Grief is like a garden. Some days it is bright and sunny, and other days it is stormy or quiet. This journal is your space to tend to your garden, one step at a time." The Landscape of My Heart If your heart were a garden right now, what would it look like? Use the space below to draw or describe it. Are there many flowers? Is it raining? Is there a sturdy fence? I am here to honor... (Who are you thinking of? You can write their name, draw a picture, or write 'someone special'.) Seeds of Hope What is one thing you hope to find or feel during our time together? (For example: 'feeling less lonely', 'remembering happy things', or 'understanding my feelings') Healing Hearts Garden
Weather Facilitator GuideWeek 2 Emotional Weather Theme: Naming, Normalizing, and Mapping Emotions Session Goals • Identify a variety of "grief feelings" (sadness, anger, relief, numbness). • Normalize the "Emotional Rollercoaster" (feelings change quickly). • Introduce the idea that no feeling is "wrong." Materials Needed "Weather Map" Activity Sheet Emotion Word Bank cards (or just the worksheet) Different colored markers/pens 1. Warm-Up: The Feeling Weather Report (5 mins) Check in. Ask: "If you were a weather pattern today, what would you be? A light drizzle? A thunderstorm? Sunny with clouds?" 2. The Mixed Bag of Grief (10 mins) Explain that grief isn't just "sad." It's like a garden where many different things grow at once. You might feel happy about a game you played, but then suddenly feel a wave of sadness. This is called "emotional waves." Clinical Note: Validate guilt and relief. Many children feel guilty for being happy or relieved if the person was sick. Normalize these as part of the garden. 3. Activity: The Weather Map (15 mins) Use the "Weather Map" worksheet. Have the student assign "weather" to their feelings (e.g., Anger = Thunder, Peace = Sunshine, Sadness = Rain). Discussion Prompts: "Which of these weather patterns happens most often for you?" "Which one is the hardest to sit through?" "What does your body feel like when it's 'storming'?" 4. Closing: The Umbrella (5 mins) Remind the student: "We can't stop the rain, but we can learn to carry an umbrella." Next week, we'll talk about how the soil changes after a storm. Healing Hearts Garden • Session 2 Facilitator Guide © 2026 Educational Resources
Emotional Weather ActivityEmotional Weather "Every feeling is a guest. Some stay for a minute, some stay for a day." Week 2 The Feelings Forecast SADNESS ANGER NUMBNESS PEACE GUILT RELIEF JOY LONELY My Internal Weather Map Choose 4 feelings from above (or use your own words). Draw a weather symbol for each and describe what it feels like in your body. Feeling: _________________ Body Feeling: Feeling: _________________ Body Feeling: Feeling: _________________ Body Feeling: Feeling: _________________ Body Feeling: My "Safe Umbrella" When a storm hits, what is one thing that helps you stay dry? (For example: talking to a friend, squeezing a pillow, or taking deep breaths.) Healing Hearts Garden
Soil Facilitator GuideWeek 3 Shifting Soil Theme: Navigating Changes and the "New Normal" Session Goals • Identify secondary losses (changes in routine, home, school). • Acknowledge the difference between "then" and "now." • Build a sense of predictability and agency within new routines. Materials Needed "Before & After" Reflection Sheet Construction paper (optional for "bridge" building activity) 1. Warm-Up: High/Low (5 mins) Check in. Revisit the weather metaphor from last week. Ask: "What was your weather report for the weekend?" 2. The Concept of "Secondary Loss" (10 mins) Explain that when a person dies, it's like a big earthquake in the garden. Not only did a tree fall (the person), but the ground shifted, the fence might have broken, and the paths changed. "What are some things that are different now? Maybe a routine changed, or who picks you up from school, or how your house feels?" 3. Activity: The Shifting Map (20 mins) Use the "Before & After" worksheet. This helps the student visualize the changes. Be sensitive to "invisible" changes, like how they feel inside or how they act with friends. Facilitator Tip: If the student gets stuck, suggest categories: Home, School, Feelings, and Fun. 4. Closing: One Sturdy Thing (5 mins) Ask: "In all this shifting soil, what is one thing that has not changed?" (A favorite toy, a pet, a friend, a talent). End with a focus on stability. Healing Hearts Garden • Session 3 Facilitator Guide © 2026 Educational Resources
Shifting Soil ActivityShifting Soil "Mapping the changes in my life's landscape." Week 3 When someone we love dies, it’s like an earthquake that changes the paths in our garden. Some things stay the same, but many things might feel different now. Think about your routines, your home, your feelings, and your school day. How it used to be My Morning / Afternoons: My Home Life: My "Inside" Feelings: How it is now My Morning / Afternoons: My Home Life: My "Inside" Feelings: One Sturdy Thing Even when everything feels like it's shifting, what is something that is still the same? Something you can always count on? Healing Hearts Garden
Roots Facilitator GuideWeek 4 Roots of Memory Theme: Honoring the Person and Maintaining Connection Session Goals • Identify positive memories and traits of the person who died. • Discuss "legacy" – how the student carries a piece of that person. • Move from the "pain of loss" to the "power of memory." Materials Needed "Memory Tree" Activity Sheet Optional: A photo or item of the person 1. Warm-Up: High/Low (5 mins) Check in. Discuss any "shifting soil" moments from the previous week. 2. Roots and Flowers (10 mins) Explain the metaphor: The person who died is like a beautiful tree that was in the garden. Even if the tree is gone, the roots are still there. Those roots are the memories, stories, and the things that person taught you. "Memories are how we keep our garden connected to the people we love. Even if we can't see them, we can feel their roots in our own hearts." 3. Activity: The Memory Tree (20 mins) On the "Memory Tree" worksheet, have the student fill in: The Roots: Lessons or things the person taught them. The Trunk: Favorite shared memories or funny stories. The Leaves: Traits the person had (e.g., kind, funny, strong). Guiding Question: "What is a part of them that you see in yourself?" (e.g., the way you laugh, your love for a certain food). 4. Closing: Holding On (5 mins) Validate that some memories might be sad, and that's okay. Encourage them to choose one "happy root" to think about this week. Healing Hearts Garden • Session 4 Facilitator Guide © 2026 Educational Resources
Roots Memory ActivityRoots of Memory "Keeping the roots of love alive in my heart." Week 4 The Leaves (Traits) What words describe them? (Funny, brave, kind, helpful?) The Trunk (Stories) A favorite memory or something funny you did together. The Roots (Lessons) What did they teach you? How are you like them? trait... trait... trait... Share a favorite memory here... a lesson... a lesson... My "Gift" from Them What is one thing about yourself that you are proud of, that reminds you of them? Healing Hearts Garden
Steady Facilitator GuideWeek 5 Steady Branches Theme: Body-Based Calming and Somatic Grounding Session Goals • Identify where "grief storms" live in the body (tight chest, tummy ache). • Learn 3 concrete somatic grounding techniques. • Build a sense of control over physical stress responses. Materials Needed "Calm Garden Toolkit" Visual Cards A "grounding stone" or textured item 1. Warm-Up: Body Check-In (5 mins) Revisit "Emotional Weather." Ask: "When you feel rainy or stormy, where do you feel it in your body?" (Point to head, heart, stomach, etc.) 2. The "Steady Branch" Metaphor (10 mins) A big tree can survive a storm because its branches are steady and its roots are deep. When our feelings get big, we can help our body stay "steady" so the storm can pass through without knocking us over. Concept: Co-Regulation Practice these tools *with* the student. Your calm presence is half the tool. 3. Activity: The Toolkit (20 mins) Practice the "3-2-1 Grounding" and "Leaf Breathing." Technique 1: Leaf Breathing Trace the outline of a leaf (real or imaginary). Breathe in as you go up, out as you go down. Technique 2: 5-4-3-2-1 Find 5 things you see, 4 you feel, 3 you hear, 2 you smell, 1 you taste. 4. Closing: Pocket Calmers (5 mins) Have the student choose their favorite technique. Encourage them to try it once this week "just because," not just when they are upset. Healing Hearts Garden • Session 5 Facilitator Guide © 2026 Educational Resources
Calm Toolkit ActivityCalm Garden Toolkit "Learning to stay steady when the wind blows." Week 5 Leaf Breathing Imagine a leaf in your hand. Trace the edges with your finger. Breathe in as you go up, and out as you go down. 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Use your senses to come back to the "now." 5 things you see 4 things you can touch 3 things you hear 2 things you can smell 1 thing you can taste (or love) The Strong Tree Plant your feet flat on the floor. Imagine roots growing from your feet deep into the earth. Feel how heavy and steady you are. The Butterfly Hug Cross your arms over your chest and hook your thumbs. Tapping gently like butterfly wings: left, right, left, right. My Favorite Tool Which one of these makes you feel the most "steady"? Why? Healing Hearts Garden
Thoughts Facilitator GuideWeek 6 Sunlight Thoughts Theme: Cognitive Reframing and Positive Self-Talk Session Goals • Identify "Thorns" (negative, unhelpful thoughts/guilt). • Practice "Sunlight" thoughts (reaffirming, compassionate self-talk). • Build cognitive flexibility around the loss. Materials Needed "Thorns & Sunlight" Worksheet Yellow markers or highlighters 1. Warm-Up: High/Low (5 mins) Check in. Did the student use any of the "Steady Branches" tools this week? 2. Thorns vs. Sunlight (10 mins) In every garden, weeds and thorns can grow. In our minds, these are "Thorn Thoughts"—things like "It's my fault" or "I'll never be happy again." These thoughts hurt and make it hard for flowers to grow. "Sunlight Thoughts" are things we tell ourselves that are true and kind. "We can't always stop the thorns from growing, but we can choose which thoughts we give more sunlight to." 3. Activity: Thorns & Sunlight (20 mins) Use the worksheet to "pull" a thorn and replace it with sunlight. Common Thorn: "I shouldn't be happy right now." Sunlight Reframe: "It's okay to feel happy and sad at the same time. [Name] would want me to smile." 4. Closing (5 mins) Ask the student to name one "Sunlight Thought" they can take back to the classroom with them. Healing Hearts Garden • Session 6 Facilitator Guide © 2026 Educational Resources
Thorns Sunlight ActivityThorns & Sunlight "Changing how I talk to myself when things feel heavy." Week 6 Thorn Thoughts Thoughts that hurt, poke at us, or make us feel "stuck" or guilty. Sunlight Thoughts Thoughts that are kind, helpful, and remind us we are doing our best. Pulling the Thorns A Thorn Thought I have: "I should have done more." A Sunlight Reframe: "I did the best I could with what I knew. I loved them a lot." A Thorn Thought I have: "It's not fair that I'm still here." A Sunlight Reframe: "Life is hard right now, but I can still do meaningful things." Write a Thorn here: Turn it into Sunlight: My Sunlight Mantra When I feel a thorn poking me, I will tell myself: "____________________________________________________________________" Healing Hearts Garden
Helpers Facilitator GuideWeek 7 Garden Helpers Theme: Social Support and Asking for Help Session Goals • Identify "Safe People" at home, school, and in the community. • Practice communicating needs (e.g., "I need a break," "I'm having a hard day"). • Understand that we don't have to tend the garden alone. Materials Needed "Support Garden" Activity Sheet "I Need..." Communication Cards 1. Warm-Up: The Garden Map (5 mins) Check in. Revisit the "Sunlight Thoughts" from last week. 2. Who are the Gardeners? (10 mins) Even the best gardeners need help. Sometimes they need someone to help pull weeds, someone to bring water, or someone to just sit in the garden with them. Who are the people in your life who "help your garden grow"? Concept: Differentiated Support "Some people are good for talking, some are good for playing games, and some are just good for being quiet together. All are helpful." 3. Activity: The Support Map (20 mins) On the "Support Garden" worksheet, have the student place names in different "flower beds": Home, School, and Friends/Activities. Roleplay Prompt: "If you are at school and having a 'rainy day' feeling, what could you say to [Teacher's Name]? Let's practice." 4. Closing (5 mins) Next week is our last session. We will celebrate how much your garden has grown! Healing Hearts Garden • Session 7 Facilitator Guide © 2026 Educational Resources
Support Garden ActivityGarden Helpers "Mapping the people who help my garden grow." Week 7 No one has to tend to their grief garden all alone. Write the names of your "Helpers" in the flowers below. SCHOOL Helper 1... Helper 2... HOME Helper 1... Helper 2... FRIENDS / FUN Helper 1... Helper 2... Speaking Up What can you say when you need help? Practice writing a "Need Statement" below. When I feel: I can tell: This: Healing Hearts Garden
Blooming Facilitator GuideWeek 8 Forever Blooming Theme: Closure, Growth, and Future-Planning Session Goals • Review progress and identify growth in coping skills. • Create a "Plan for Tough Days" (holidays, anniversaries). • Provide closure for the 1:1 therapeutic relationship. Materials Needed "My Growth Summary" Activity Sheet A small graduation gift/certificate (optional) 1. Reflection: Then vs. Now (10 mins) Look back at the "Garden Intro" from Week 1. Ask: "How does your heart garden feel different today compared to our first day?" 2. The "Tough Day" Plan (15 mins) Explain that even though our sessions are ending, grief doesn't disappear. There will still be "rainy days" (birthdays, holidays, or for no reason). Concept: Relapse Prevention "What are the 3 things you can do when you feel a storm coming? Let's write them down on your final sheet." 3. Activity: Growth Summary (15 mins) Have the student complete the "Growth Summary" worksheet. Focus on what they are proud of. 4. Closure (10 mins) Acknowledge the end of your time together. "I have really enjoyed watching your garden grow. Even though we won't meet every week, you have all the tools you need to keep tending to it." Healing Hearts Garden • Session 8 Facilitator Guide © 2026 Educational Resources
Blooming Summary ActivityForever Blooming "I have everything I need to keep my garden growing." Week 8 How I’ve Grown One thing I understand better now: A coping skill I use the most: Keeping the Roots My favorite memory of [Name]: Something they taught me: My "Stormy Day" Plan When I feel a grief storm coming (on a holiday, an anniversary, or just a hard day), I can: 1 Call/talk to... 2 Do this calming tool... 3 Do this activity to honor them... Your Garden is Beautiful "Healing isn't about the rain stopping forever; it's about learning how to grow in any weather." Healing Hearts Garden