Suffering the loss of a loved one is a uniquely difficult experience, often characterized by a number of different thoughts, feelings, questions, and challenges. Teens that suffer a loss like this sometimes experience additional struggles, due to the newness of the experience and the effects it has on their perceptions of life in general. Teen Grief and Loss Treatment serves to support and encourage teens throughout this trying time, in order to help them wade through their thoughts and feelings, as well as ensure they don’t turn to negative and/or unhealthy places for relief, such as drug abuse or other risky behaviors. In addition to this primary function of supporting teens, this treatment also serves to support the teens’ families throughout this difficult time.
Teen Grief and Loss Treatment most commonly serves teens who’ve suffered the loss of a parent, sibling, close relative, or friend. As difficult and encompassing an experience as this can be for the teens themselves, it can also provide a number of distinct, trying challenges for the parents of teens, in knowing how to best support their teens during this time. It can be especially difficult in instances when the parent(s) have lost a spouse or another child, and are trying to go through their own grieving process, while keeping their teens afloat as well. Because of this, we find that Parent Support programs are a crucial aspect of successful Teen Grief and Loss Treatment.
Parent Support programs during Adolescent Grief Treatment can help provide insight, support, and guidance to parents, as their teens grieve. Depending on the specific details of the particular death that has occurred, parents can often become overwhelmed with the combination of responsibilities and emotional distress. With the energy they do have, it can be common for parents to try to put their teens first, insisting on their teens’ treatment and support throughout this time, while letting their own well-being be sacrificed in the meanwhile. However, what we see on a regular basis is that the healthy home environment is a fundamental aspect of teens’ mental and emotional stability, both throughout the immediate grieving process, and moving forward. To this end, we incorporate parent support sessions and training as a fundamental aspect of our Teen Grief and Loss Treatment. These sessions and programs include providing the parents with emotional guidance and support, helping to foster healthy lines of communication between teens and parents, and also providing parents with additional resources. In order for teens to experience a healthy grieving process and not turn to negative outlets and/or forms of relief, we find that supporting parents to support their teens is an integral aspect of this recovery. Furthermore, it can help to support families to actually come together from this difficult experience, rather than becoming distant, as a result of the stress and emotional pain everyone is feeling. When we can support parents to best support their teens, Teen Grief and Loss Treatment can not only be a experience of healing, but one of growth as well.
About the author – Robert Hunt is a recovering addict of 20 years. He has devoted his life to helping others suffering from chemical addictions as well as mental health challenges. Robert maintains many blogs on drug addiction, eating disorders and depression. He is a sober coach and wellness advocate and a prominent figure in the recovery community.
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