COUNSELING OF STUDENTS UNDERGOING TRAUMA AND GRIEF, SEPARATION RELATED ANXIETIES: A CASE STUDY

Abstract

Children today face varied forms of trauma arising from family conflicts, parental separation, bereavement, or exposure to distressing life events. This study explores the role of counseling in addressing trauma, grief, and separation-related anxieties among school-aged students through multiple illustrative case studies. The cases reveal how adverse family circumstances—such as parental imprisonment, divorce, or loss—trigger emotional withdrawal, aggression, academic decline, anxiety, and depression. Each case highlights the unique ways children process trauma depending on age, maturity, and available social support. Drawing upon models of grief, such as the Kübler-Ross framework, and concepts like complicated and disenfranchised grief, the study emphasizes the importance of timely psychological intervention. The findings underscore the counselor’s crucial role in providing emotional support, developing coping strategies, and ensuring coordination among parents and teachers. School-based counseling, active listening, self-expression techniques, and therapeutic approaches such as art, journaling, and mindfulness are recommended to foster emotional healing and resilience.