Help With Grieving Children After A Death Of A Loved One
The Healing Chickadee was created to help grieving children.
​
Two sisters, Terry Murphy and Deb Clarke, know what it means to be children in grief. The sudden death of their sixteen-year-old brother introduced them to an early experience of tragedy and loss. In their acknowledgement of the lingering effects of their pain, they collaborated to create The Healing Chickadee.
​
While it has been decades since that tragedy—in fact, 2021 marks the fiftieth anniversary—their realization that grief has no timetable was the impetus for them to find a way to help children seek comfort when they have suffered a loss. The sisters began to think of things that would have been helpful to them and their family as they struggled to find solace and to heal the wound of loss.
Drawing on this experience, they created The Healing Chickadee and her Tweet-Hearts. The birds convey messages of comfort for a child in mourning. The content, approved by Dr. Suzanne Clerkin, a psychologist who conducted studies on the neuroscience of grief, is not a substitute for therapy. Rather, the bird characters, the activities, and the songs and stories are designed to enhance a child’s social-emotional skills and provide families with a catalyst for conversations about a topic that all too often seems off-limits.
The Healing Chickadee and her Tweet-Hearts are honored to have songs written by Disney composer and Broadway conductor, David Friedman. His contribution to the effort came from his heart as he is "happy to provide the inspiration, music and sentiments for healing the child in all of us."
Christina Connors, in bringing David’s words and music to life through the dulcet tones of her voice believes in the power of optimism to get through any challenge. She is committed to uplifting the world through music, especially now as our world moves through difficult and uncertain times. She’s excited to lend her voice to this important program. For more info on Christina, visit www.christinaconnors.com.
And The Healing Chickadee could not “fly” without the enchanting
images of our talented illustrator, Tian. Her characterizations
of the birds bring them to life in a way that appeals to children
as well as adults.
Thank you for visiting our website. It is our hope that no child
is ever in need of The Healing Chickadee, but if they are,
it is our privilege to provide some comfort on their path to healing.
Wishing you peace,
Terry & Deb