Trauma-Informed Storytelling & Grief Literacy Programs
Through storytelling, original music, nature soundscapes and creative reflection,
Laurel O'Cleary offers stories to
help children and caring adults explore meaningful conversations
about emotions, loss, relationships and belonging.
Explore the storytelling topics:
Growing Memories - Bereavement Awareness & Childhood Grief Literacy
The Hurt Behind Throwing Stones - SEL Resource - Bullying, Empathy & Restorative Communication
The Eagle and Crow Poem- SEL Resource - Bullying, Emotional Literacy, Connection & Resilience
The Remarkable Life of Bees - Nature Connection Story and Song
Testimonials
Professional Reviews for Bereavement Awareness Resource
Growing Memories:
A Musical Audio Circle Story of Love, Loss, and Resilience
Professional Review of Growing Memories
by Dianne McKissock OAM
Co-founder and Patron
Bereavement CARE Centre
National Centre for Childhood Grief, Australia
“Your program is beautifully and thoughtfully produced, well researched, clear and appropriately simple.
I agree with comments made by other reviewers and people who have used GROWING MEMORIES - it is gentle, safe and heartwarming and I can imagine it being an invaluable resource for many schools, therapists and families. ”
About- Dianne McKissock OAM
Dianne McKissock OAM is a highly experienced Australian bereavement counsellor with 55 years of professional counselling experience, including 45 years specialising in bereavement. For four decades, she and her husband have facilitated support groups for bereaved children and young people.
Through her longstanding work with bereaved people of all ages, Dianne has contributed to supporting children, young people and families as they navigate grief and loss. Her approach recognises the importance of creating safe, trusting environments that respond to children's individual needs and experiences.
Professional Reviews for Bereavement Awareness Resource
Growing Memories:
Reviewed by:
Ami Armagost, MSW, RSW
Toronto, Ontario
"It was a pleasure experiencing the first chapter of Growing Memories. The story and language is simple yet thoughtful. The illustrations, music and sounds add a gentle tone while activating the imagination and enhancing engagement. The story is touching and beautifully put together.
This digital storybook provides adults with a practical framework for supporting children in understanding death and emotional responses to loss. The use of story, illustration, and music, connected to the world around them, creates a meaningful and engaging learning experience. There is an overall sense of calmness consistent throughout the chapter. The child-appropriate and thoughtful prompts encourage emotional expression, reflection, and learning. This is a gentle, compassionate, and valuable resource for adults supporting children.
Thank you for sharing your work, and for all the effort you put into creating a resource for children and the adults supporting them."
Ami Armagost, MSW, RSW
Grief Therapist/ Toronto
AWC Grief Support
ami@awcgrief.com
www.awcgrief.com
Ami Armagost is a Registered Social Worker and grief therapist with AWC Grief Support, specialising in supporting children, youth and families navigating grief and loss. Her practice draws on advanced training in child development, trauma-informed care and grief support, with an emphasis on compassionate, playful and developmentally sensitive approaches.
Professional Reviews for
Bereavement Awareness Resource
Growing Memories:
by:
Ally de Ruiter
The Nightingale Centre
Waterloo, Ontario
"Thank you for sharing this wonderful resource with me. I really appreciated the thoughtful flow of this resource. The lessons build naturally on one another, and the content feels very relevant and meaningful for children who are grieving. I especially valued how it incorporates learning from both students and educators. The inclusion of grief literacy and bullying also really resonated with me, as these are areas we encounter often in our work. I’m looking forward to exploring this resource more deeply over time and seeing how it can continue to support children and educators."
About Ally de Ruiter
The Nightingale Centre
Ally de Ruiter is the Grow in Grief (GiG) Family Counsellor at The Nightingale Centre in Guelph, Ontario. She has more than 10 years of experience in grief and bereavement, working with children, youth, caregivers, and professionals in homes, schools, and community settings.
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Certified Child Life Specialist
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Early Childhood Educator
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Degree in Children’s Studies and Advocacy
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Master’s in Education
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Professor in the Early Childhood Education program at Conestoga College
Professional Development & Academic Recognition
Selected Presenter – 2027
International Death, Grief & Bereavement Conference
University of Wisconsin–La Crosse
La Crosse, Wisconsin, USA
Growing Memories has been selected for a presentation at the 2027 International Death, Grief & Bereavement Conference, hosted by the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse.
This selection provides an opportunity to share the resource with an international audience of professionals, researchers, educators and practitioners working in death, grief and bereavement.
Professional Review for
Bereavement Awareness Resource
Growing Memories:
By Anonymous Program Director/ Hospice
Art Therapist - MA, LPC, ATR
Chicago, Illinois, USA
I reviewed Chapter 1 and what I can share is that it shares the same philosophy with WH.
I appreciated seeing how you are normalizing grief, don't pathologize it, welcome all feelings, encourage active listening, and multiple modalities to support children. I also appreciated seeing how you coach the adults that not all children will have their own memories of their person who died. I think the story of the crown of daisies is warm, approachable, simple, yet powerful. Again thank you for putting this into the world to support children who are grieving.
Profile Anonymous.
Professional background:
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Education: Master of Arts in Art Therapy from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago
(2011).
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Undergraduate education: Bachelor of Arts from Eastern Illinois University (2008), with a major in Art and minor in Psychology.
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Credentials: Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Registered Art Therapist (ATR).
Land Acknowledgement
For more than 14 years, my life and work have been shaped by opportunities to listen and learn alongside Indigenous Elders and knowledge holders. Six of those years were spent in the backcountry through Ghost River Rediscovery Camp in Alberta, followed by eight years of learning and working on the land with Elders in Lanark County, Ontario. Through these experiences, and through time spent with the Grand River Water Walkers, I was gifted opportunities to listen to teachings about land, water, story, community, and the responsibilities of being a respectful listener. This land acknowledgement is offered with gratitude for those teachings, the relationships that made them possible, and the lands and waters that continue to teach me.
My Story
Land Acknowledgement | Growing Memories
Land Acknowledgement I would like to begin by acknowledging the Indigenous peoples whose lands have shaped my life, my work, and my understanding of what it means to listen, learn, and honour the land. I acknowledge the Îyârhe Nakoda Nations, the Bearspaw, Chiniki, and Goodstoney First Nations, and the Kainai, Piikani, and Siksika Nations of the Blackfoot Confederacy, as well as the Tsuut’ina Nation and Ktunaxa peoples, whose traditional territories and cultural landscapes include the Rocky Mountains and Kananaskis Country in Alberta. These are lands that have been cared for, travelled, lived upon, and held sacred by Indigenous peoples since time immemorial. For 17 years, I had the honour of working as a helper with Elders in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta and in Lanark County. I was given the privilege of sitting with Elders, listening to their personal stories, their family histories, their cultural teachings, and the words and knowledge carried through their languages and generations. I learned that listening is itself a responsibility. Some of the stories I was entrusted to hear spoke of tremendous strength, resilience, family, culture, language, and connection to the land. Others spoke of the devastating effects of colonization and the cultural genocide experienced by Indigenous peoples, the separation of children from families, the suppression of languages and cultures, and the many wounds carried from one generation to another. I carry deep gratitude for having been welcomed into those conversations and for the trust that was placed in me. I also acknowledge the lands of North Frontenac and Sharbot Lake, where the Algonquin presence and history are deeply connected to the land and waterways. I recognize Shabot Obaadjiwan, the Algonquin community associated with Sharbot Lake, and the broader Algonquin peoples whose ancestral relationships with these lands continue today. Sharbot Lake has a particular meaning for me. It is a place where people have gathered for generations, a place of water, forest, travel, family, and community. I acknowledge the Indigenous peoples who have cared for these lands long before the communities and boundaries we know today. And I acknowledge Guelph, Ontario, my homeland. Guelph is situated on lands with a deep Indigenous history. I acknowledge the Attawandaron, also known as the Neutral peoples, who lived, farmed, hunted, and travelled throughout this region. I acknowledge the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, whose treaty lands and territory include Guelph, and the Haudenosaunee, including the Six Nations of the Grand River, whose longstanding relationship with this region continues today.