At CARE Counseling’s Grief, Hope and Healing Center we work with people of all ages who may be experiencing grief and loss.

Therapists are focused on meeting children and adolescents where they are at based on their developmental stage. As children grieve differently than adults, therapists are sensitive to developmental stages.

Play Therapy

Children at this age can be involved with individual play, as well as process and group therapy. Kids may express their thoughts and fears about death in their play rather than through words which is why play therapy is highly recommended for this age group.

Including children in family decisions 

Some children may develop fear of being left alone and question when parents/adult family members will die. It is important to reassure them and to include them in family related conversations and age-related tasks. Children often will react to parents grieving even if they don’t understand death. Some older children may begin grieving by themselves at this time.

Adolescents & Teens Experiencing Loss

Teens are exposed to loss of peers, family members and parents. They often to turn toward their peer groups for support and struggle to express their emotions. Our Therapists are trained to work with teens through the use of groups and in school resources to meet teens where they are at as well as to collaborate with parents and school personnel to support teens in healing, build coping skills and fostering resilience.

Friends are Important

Growing Through Grief is a school-based grief support group for those who have experienced a death in their family, or friend group. This program offers peer support groups as well as individual counseling targeted for elementary, middle, and high school students. Students who engage in Growing Through Grief are able to acknowledge their grief, learn coping skills, and improve their concentration in the classroom.

Denial

As part of the natural grieving process, teens often have a sense of invincibility which can often cause them to engage in risky behaviors and decision making. Ways to help your teen navigate this stage in their life is by setting clear rules, and expectations, it is also important to monitor adolescents whereabouts, and activities they are involved in, and set a good example by having a close loving relationship with your child. Some examples of how to do this for your adolescent is by:

• Encouraging safe driving habits
• Eating healthy and getting enough exercise
• Inform them of the consequences of engaging in risky behaviors such as using alcohol or drugs, having unprotected sex, etc.
• It is important to model and teach healthy habits

• • Ways to deal with feelings of denial:
    • Understand that it is your minds way of protecting yourself from painful experiences and feelings
    • Try your best to acknowledge and accept the truth
    • Be honest with yourself and others – Don’t pretend things are fine if they aren’t

Lonely in your grief – Grieving in your early 20’s to 30’s

Many people feel lonely in their grief. It is important that you find a support system or support group that is similar in age. When you are feeling lonely don’t be afraid to ask for help, make room for your emotions and accept the ones that come; there is no right or wrong way to grieve and grief can change overtime. Grief takes a toll on more than just emotions during this time it is important to take care of your physical body as well, get enough sleep and exercise, and eat healthy. Take time for yourself but also balance that with time spent with others.

Adults

Therapists are focused on supporting individuals as they process their complicated and painful emotions. Adults may be experiencing anticipated loss, unanticipated or sudden loss, and ambiguous loss. Therapists are also able to work with adults who have become single parents, developing their new world view, creating meaning from their loss, and even growing from their loss.

Seniors

The longer we live the more loss we will experience. Like younger adults seniors experience loss of family and friends and even pets. Seniors often experience a great number of losses, at times outliving their own children, many of their friends, other family, and beloved pets. It can be difficult to maintain connection to others their age due to physical and mental health issues, which makes seniors even more vulnerable to loneliness and isolation. Therapists work with older adults in navigating and honoring these accumulating losses and forming a sense of connection to the self and others in the midst of this. 

If you or someone you care about needs professional help or support to process your feelings of loss and gain understanding around your experience of grief, reach out to the clinicians at CARE Counseling to support you in your steps toward healing.