Loss issues arise from death, trauma, divorce, illness, moving and more. Not everyone grieves the same way and not everyone experiences all the stages of grief—denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.
Let me help you and/or your child develop healthy coping skills to manage these difficult life transitions.
Young People Dealing with Death, Divorce and Other Losses
Young people have taught me that the following traits are common in kids and teens who’ve experienced the loss of a “significant other” through death or divorce:
- They may believe the death or divorce was their fault
- They may lack positive coping skills to get them through stressful events
- They may feel “different”
- They may begin acting out in unacceptable and self-defeating ways
- They may suffer in silence
- They are simply trying to protect themselves.
The goals of therapy are to:
- Normalize the intense emotions they may experience
- Learn healthy ways of expressing emotions (anger, sadness, guilt)
- Develop a better understanding of the situation
- Learn to identify their own strengths
Treatment is always individualized. The following are some of the expressive approaches which facilitate positive growth in clients:
- Sand Tray
- Art
- Writing
- Board Games
- Music
- Storybooks
- Puppets and Roleplay
