How to Help Young People Through the Process Grief
Grief is a complex, yet very common human response. It’s a natural and universal response to loss and sickness.
Unfortunately, there is no guidebook for how to navigate this process. Each person has their own journey and way of dealing with grief. No matter what the circumstances are, this is rarely an easy process.
As adults, it can be difficult to watch children or young loved ones go through bad times. You may find yourself struggling about how to help them cope with their grief. Here are some ways you can provide guidance.
Be an Active Listener
When people experience grief, it can be a difficult journey no matter what age they are. For younger people, it may feel more intense. They may need someone to talk to, but not know how to ask or not know enough to ask for help.
Encourage communication about what they’re feeling. Try to be an active listener rather than a source of feedback and commentary. Sometimes the best help can be just a listening ear while they vent out whatever is on their mind.
Acknowledge Their Grief
Processing grief involves feeling your emotions, going through the stages, and making peace with the loss you’ve suffered. Try to help them understand that grief is a natural response to loss. Inform them that grief includes many emotions, including anger, sadness, and in some instances relief.
Acknowledge their grief and validate it in whatever form it takes. Teach them that grief may look differently for them compared to others. It’s important to show understanding of their experience and reinforce that there is no right or wrong way to grieve.
Teach Them About the Stages of Grief
Grief is rarely a linear experience. In fact, the process is often misunderstood by many adults, so those who are younger will be more likely to struggle. You can help support them by explaining how the grief process works and the different stages of grief they will experience.
It’s important to highlight that the stages may not come in order and you may circle back to various stages along the way. Their experience will be unique to them and there is no right or wrong way.
The five stages of grief include:
Denial
Anger
Bargaining
Depression
Acceptance
Encourage Self-Expression
Grief can be one of the most difficult emotions to deal with. When you’re young, you don’t often have all the necessary tools developed yet to effectively process the wide range of emotions that come with grief.
If you know someone younger who is dealing with grief, encourage them to use various forms of self-expression to get their feelings out. This can be through art, music, dance, or any type of physical activity. One method that has great mental health benefits is journaling.
Model Healthy Behaviors
Young people can be very impressionable and are always observing the adults around them. If you are going through a shared grief experience, be mindful that you're modeling good behavior.
Don’t be afraid to talk to them about your own grief and share what you’re thinking and feeling. Show them how to deal with loss in a healthy manner. More importantly, express to them that it’s ok to show emotions and grieve however they need to. Hiding their feelings is not the answer.
Encourage Professional Help
If grief is taking a noticeable toll, it can be worthwhile to suggest therapy or counseling services. Professionals are trained in providing support for those who are grieving. Through therapy or counseling, they can learn how to develop and utilize coping strategies to find healing and prevent additional issues from developing.
Does someone you know need a little extra support on their grief journey? Reach out to us to learn more about our young adult therapy services.
