Helping Teens Work Through Grief (PDF)

Teens who have experienced the death of parent, grandparent, friend or relative often find it difficult to grieve openly. When adults who teens trust are aware of the cycle of grief, they can provide a safe atmosphere to allow teens to experience the turmoil of the intense and conflicting emotions in order to move towards healing. This book is a valuable guide, helping adults connect with grieving teens. The reader will find background information along with many specific activities to help teens reflect upon and talk about their particular concerns. Issues of grief are introduced through drawing, molding clay, painting, movement, writing, listening to music, as well as talking in pairs and as a group. In addition, new activities incorporate the various dimensions of the grieving process with audio-visual materials and the Internet. The second edition of Helping Teens Work Through Grief provides a more complete and updated manual for facilitators of teen grief groups. It includes additional background information about developmental aspects of teens, the process of grief, aspects of trauma and its effects on teens, the value of a group, determining the group-appropriateness of particular teens, and parental involvement. The many details involved with beginning a group - publicity, interviews, registration, structure, closure, evaluation, and follow-up - are listed. This resource provides teachers, counselors, psychologists, social workers, hospice personnel and religious youth workers with the necessary information to work with teens in a group setting or support a grieving individual. In a less formal setting, Helping Teens Work Through Grief could also serve as a guide for a concerned neighbour or family member who is in a position to help a grieving teen on the healing journey towards wholeness. Mary Kelly Perschy, M.S., has been involved with grieving teens since 1984 when there was little information readily available about teen grief. In her varied career, Perschy has served as an administrator (of Bereavement Services at Hospice of Howard County), trainer, counsellor and facilitator of grief groups at hospices and schools in the Baltimore metropolitan area.