Pathfinders: Promoting healthy adjustment in bereaved children and families

Pathfinders is a 10-session program developed in a community setting to creatively address the diverse needs of bereaved children and families, prevent complications of grief and trauma, and promote healthy adaptation. It is an accessible, grief-focused and trauma-informed family systems model that is theory-driven, research-informed, and grounded in practice-based evidence. Pathfinders incorporates principles central to narrative approaches, with a focus on restorative processes for helping children and families stay on track developmentally. This article outlines the structure, process, and content of Pathfinders, including examples of creative interventions used within the program.