It was written to encourage children to express thoughts and feelings about death. It was designed to foster hope in bereaved children that, despite their death, their caregiver is still connected to them. This story promotes the concepts of faith, unity, and spirituality, without subscribing to a specific religion. In The Butterfly Blanket, the main character is a child named Michelle. Michelle is forced to cope with the death of her mother when her mother becomes ill and then dies. Michelle feels alone and scared but is comforted when butterflies arrive in her yard. After her mother dies, Michelle is reminded that she remains connected to her when she sees the butterflies floating into the sky in the shape of her mother. About the Author: Lynne Steffy BA, BSW, MSW, RSW, Canadian Play Therapy Training Levels 1 & 2 Lynne Steffy acquired her Masters degree in clinical social work from Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario. Lynne also received training in child play therapy from the Canadian Association for Child and Play Therapy. She is currently employed as a child therapist at Mosaic Counselling and Family Services in Kitchener, Ontario, and as a case manager at the Canadian Mental Health Association in Woodstock, Ontario. Lynne has gained broad experience in clinical counselling with adults and children, and has facilitated therapeutic groups for children and worked with children in crisis. Many therapists use narrative therapy to reach children with complex emotional and behavioural issues. Lynne has found it to be an astoundingly effective method. During the course of her work with troubled children in a wide range of clinical settings, Lynne realized that there was a need for more child-focused, therapeutic material to assist therapists, teachers, and parents in their work with children. Lynne’s Felt Feeling series of therapeutic children’s books was written to address this need. |