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Life is a continuous struggle and better to realize early that one has to meet its challenges; the better it is for everyone. Coming to terms with the changes that death of a special person may bring about, becomes difficult to handle by many individuals. A long period of sadness and sorrow during which interest in daily activities is lost.  Refusal to attend school or a drop in grades. Withdrawal from friends, hyper-activity or keeping too busy.

Considering that today’s teens are extremely stressed out, grief counselors often use the strategy of patient listening and subtle suggestions on individual basis. Teens are given an opportunity to openly express their feelings amongst people in similar situations Group activities like art therapy and writing are frequently used to reach out to the teenager to help give expression to emotions.
 
The basic goals of group activities are:

Help youngsters to perceive grief as a normal human reaction to death. The group format induces a sense of positive identity in the grieving adolescent as groups give mutual aid and a means for re-entering the mainstream. Remove any sense of guilt that may be compelling the child to blame him or herself for the loss.

Filed under: Mental Illness on January 28th, 2010