“Good” Grief?
Death, loss, and the grieving process are typically not an enjoyable topics to talk about but understanding all are necessary parts of doing life in a healthy way. Death is difficult because it’s a permanent loss and sudden death can lead to a complicated grieving process because the suddenness often leaves feelings of anger, guilt and abandonment. There are several theories on what occurs in the grief process, though grief is based on the experience of each person. Grief is unique to the individual and different for everyone.
Understanding the impact that death has on a person is important in starting the process of grieving. Grief allows time for the healing process to take place. Encouraging kids or teenagers to understand how grief affects them physically, emotionally, and spiritually is very helpful. Once this happens they are better equipped to deal with this difficult process. They can recognize what is happening and why, and begin to focus their energy on self-care. In order to heal, they need to actively grieve by allowing feelings, thoughts and memories to be shared with supportive people around them.
Join us on April 28th as we learn the best steps to talking to your child about death and grieving. Learn how you can become a better listener, and learn how you and your teen can find the steps to move forward after experiencing loss.
