Showing posts with label teens. Show all posts
Showing posts with label teens. Show all posts

When a Parent Dies: Supporting the Grief of Adolescents

A father is one of God's first gifts to our hearts, and his love stays with us always.  ~ Holly Gerth 

A reader writes: I lost my dad 6 months ago. He had a tumor in his pancreas that was discovered two years before that. He was told he had cancer on my 13th birthday. He had many operations, and cancer treatments like chemotherapy, but after a long struggle he died in a hospice in our city. I live with my mother and my 7-year-old brother. We are happy, but I feel really sad sometimes, because I miss my dad. I was very close to him, and we were very alike in the way we were both mechanical. He was a professor of engineering and he wrote many articles and textbooks. I am very proud of him. I boast about him a lot, and it makes me feel better to know that he did something in his life that was so fantastic – or I think so anyway. It’s just gone past 6 months since he died, and I’m beginning to feel very sad a lot of the time.

Supporting Children and Adolescents in Grief

[Reviewed and updated February 6, 2026]

As an adult or child, experiencing grief means to “feel,” not just to “understand.” Anyone old enough to love is old enough to grieve.  
~ Alan D. Wolfelt

Children and adolescents grieve just as deeply as adults, but depending on their cognitive and emotional development, they will experience and express their grief differently from the grown-ups around them.

Caregiving and Hospice, May 17 - May 23, 2015

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:

Email to Jeb Bush: What He (and All of Us) Can Do in the Fight Against Alzheimer's, http://j.mp/1el7fy6 « Maria Shriver

Dying Matters for Friends, Too, http://j.mp/1F6mWje « Victoria Noe

Teenage Angst and Suicide: Don’t Blame Parents, http://j.mp/1Hz70Jq « Bob Livingstone, LCSW

Caregiving and Hospice, March 29 - April 4, 2015

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:

From a hospice volunteer: Yes, you make a difference, http://j.mp/1GqeNJX « Kevin MD

Top 10 Quotes From First Episode Of Ken Burns Documentary: 'Emperor Of All Maladies,' http://j.mp/1GPuc6S « Forbes

How The Best Alzheimer's Caregiver I Know Cares – And She’s Only 7 Years Old! http://j.mp/1FlkeIq « Alzheimer's Reading Room

Understanding and Managing Grief, July 6 - July 12, 2014

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:

Exploring Grief Through Photograhy by Litsa Williams, http://j.mp/1khvw4r « Prezi

Grief in the Workplace: How can Managers Balance Productivity and Compassion? http://j.mp/1oQMo6m « Theravive

Helping Grieving Children: A List of Suggested Resources, http://j.mp/15BOJqS « Grief Healing Blog

Helping Children Cope with a Parent's Serious Illness: Resources

[Reviewed and updated December 20, 2022]

A reader writes: My daughter just recently was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). I want to know what I can do to make life easier for her and my four grandchildren. The children range in age from seven to thirteen. I understand that the kids are scared, but they are pushing everybody's boundaries at the moment, and my daughter is struggling big-time with their attitudes of defiance. I appreciate any help you can offer. Are there any resources "out there" that I should know about?

Understanding and Managing Grief, November 17 - November 23, 2013

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:

Friday Favorites: November 22, 2013, http://j.mp/1bcjxVF « What's Your Grief?

What Jackie Knew: Children Grieve, http://j.mp/1bID4b7 « National Alliance for Grieving Children

Research: 'Widowhood Effect' Strongest During First Three Months, http://j.mp/I3Jf2c « Medscape Nurses

Understanding and Managing Grief, September 15 - September 21, 2013

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:

Inspiring! Grief: Creating Meaning for Your New Life, Your New Self http://j.mp/1eypIof « Stop Thief: Don't Steal My Grief

Friday Favorites: Grief Articles from This Week, http://j.mp/18GrrFx « What's Your Grief?

Weathering the fog after a suicide, http://j.mp/1aZbKLi « Hello Grief

On the value of Grief support: After the Last Bereavement Gathering, http://j.mp/1fhMHmi « Elaine Mansfield

Parents' anguish turns into mission http://j.mp/15asrRB « The Detroit News Lifestyle

Understanding and Managing Grief, May 19 - May 25, 2013

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:

Is Criticism of DSM-5 'Anti-psychiatry'? huff.to/18bVAf4 « Huffington Post

“Now You’re a Soldier” http://t.co/CN6RyopvGI « FriendGrief

Helpful! When Kids Can't Remember Someone Who Died, http://j.mp/Z5fALk « What's Your Grief?

Bereaved teens face hidden challenges,  http://j.mp/14WtKis « Hospice of the Valley

The impact of grief on you and the family, http://j.mp/133QOuv « Hospice of the Bluegrass

Understanding and Managing Grief, January 13 - January 19, 2013

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:

Voices of Experience: What I've Learned from Grief, http://j.mp/pxcNlf

6 Simple Ways to Improve Your Mood, http://j.mp/VMhxuz « Ashley Davis Bush, LCSW

Silence, a Source of Comfort for the Bereaved, http://j.mp/10xXbcA « Open to Hope

CCBC recommends booklist on grief and loss for children, http://j.mp/V7ofwQ via @WhatsYourGrief

Updated: Tips for Coping with Sleeplessness in Grief, http://j.mp/hkoXnZ « Grief Healing Blog

Understanding and Managing Grief, October 21 - October 27, 2012

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:

Understanding and Managing Grief, September 23 - September 29, 2012

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:
  • Excellent! Thoughts on Grief and Social Media, http://j.mp/SprqfC « GriefConnect Newsletter
  • A Widow's Story of Hope, Healing and Recovery After Suicide, http://j.mp/VZxXh8 « Grief Toolbox
  • Physician's chilling account of teen suicide: Death came in whatever he might be wearing at the time, http://j.mp/QeW7QP

Caregiving and Hospice, September 2 - September 8, 2012

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:
  • Palliative care expert says: Have your end-of-life wishes in black and white, http://j.mp/RU2bgY

Caregiving and Hospice, July 22 - July 28, 2012

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:

Caregiving and Hospice, July 1 - July 7, 2012

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:
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Understanding and Managing Grief, May 20 - May 26, 2012

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:

Caregiving and Hospice, May 13 - May 19, 2012

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:

Understanding and Managing Grief, April 29 - May 5, 2012

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:

Using Herbal Supplements in Grief

[Reviewed and updated March 30, 2024]

A teen reader writes: Does anyone take St. Johns wort for depression? I want to know if it works well before I buy it.

My response: I think whenever you’re using or thinking of using any herbal supplement, you are wise to ask questions about it. I also encourage you to discuss this with your own physician or healthcare provider before you make your decision, since that person knows your recent health history and is in the best position to advise you.

Millions of Americans use herbal remedies and other dietary supplements, which are now widely available in retail pharmacies, neighborhood grocery stores and on the Internet. Today, consumers are free to purchase many types of herbs and other supplements, some of which are helpful, some harmful, and some completely useless.

Understanding and Managing Grief, February 5 - February 11, 2012

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week: