Hosted by Cryst’l Sheer (Summit Care Partners) and the Virginia End-of-Life Doula Collective. Free and open to the public.
Learn about supporting children in times of grief and loss through trauma-informed approaches.
When families face serious illness or the end of life, children can be overlooked. The Child in the Room explores childhood grief, anticipatory grief, and the many ways children express loss.
Participants will explore what children need—honesty, safety, choice, and connection—and learn a trauma-informed Notice → Support → Refer approach for recognizing when a child needs additional support.
The session also introduces expressive support and Mrs. Claus With A Cause as a resource for children experiencing crisis and loss.
See the child. Make room for the child.
About the Presenter:
Amy Herrmann, MSW, is the Founder and Executive Director of Mrs. Claus With A Cause, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to bringing comfort, connection, and moments of joy to children and families experiencing crisis.
With more than 20 years of experience working with children and families, Amy currently serves as a school social worker and has a professional background in family support, case management, and child advocacy. Her work has focused on helping children and families navigate trauma, illness, and other challenging circumstances.
Amy founded Mrs. Claus With A Cause on a simple belief: When a child’s world falls apart, we show up. What began with the comforting presence of Mrs. Claus has grown into a year-round mission providing pediatric comfort outreach, disaster response, comfort kits, and community support.
Amy holds a Master of Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University and a bachelor’s degree in Behavioral Science. She combines her professional experience in social work and child advocacy with the magic of Mrs. Claus to create meaningful moments of comfort and hope for children when they need it most.
November 2, 2026 @ 7:00 PM ET