Now What? Tips for Grieving Teens is a supportive guide created by The Dougy Center to help teenagers navigate the complex emotions and challenges that come with grief. Written with insights from grieving teens who have participated in peer support groups, this resource provides relatable advice and practical strategies for coping with loss.
The guide acknowledges that grief doesn’t follow rules or timelines and that each teen’s experience is unique. It addresses common feelings, such as anger, guilt, and numbness, while offering reassurance that all emotions during grief are valid. Teens are encouraged to explore their emotions, communicate openly, and take small steps toward healing.
What’s Inside the Guide?
- The Lowdown on Grief: Understanding that grief is personal and doesn’t follow a set pattern.
- Feelings and Changes: Exploring how grief affects emotions, sleep, eating, concentration, and relationships.
- 10 Things to Try: Practical suggestions like breathing exercises, writing, moving the body, and creating art to help process grief.
- Managing Guilt and Regret: Tips for addressing feelings of guilt and learning from past experiences.
- Family and Friends: Advice on navigating changes in family dynamics and communicating with friends during grief.
- What If I Forget?: Suggestions for preserving memories of the person who has died.
- SOS Resources: Guidance on when and how to seek additional help, including crisis hotlines and peer support options.
This guide is a compassionate tool for teens dealing with the loss of a loved one, offering them understanding, reassurance, and actionable steps to find their way through grief. It’s also a valuable resource for educators, counselors, and parents supporting grieving teens.
