MITIGATING LONG-TERM BEREAVEMENT RISKS - Addressing Family Grief

Evidence shows that parents who understand their grieving child's unique needs can aid in the child's healing process (Bugge et al., 2014) and mitigate long-term bereavement risks, which can include: * Depression * Suicidal thoughts or behaviors * Anxiety, including posttraumatic stress di...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Camping magazine 2021-11, Vol.94 (6), p.58-63
Main Authors: McClatchey, Irene Searles, King, Steve
Format: Magazinearticle
Language:English
Subjects:
Adults
Camps
Children & youth
Cognitive Restructuring
Coping
Exercise
Families & family life
Games
Grief
Imagery
Leisure Time
Mindfulness
Parents
Parents & parenting
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Registration
Relaxation Training
Workshops
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Summary:Evidence shows that parents who understand their grieving child's unique needs can aid in the child's healing process (Bugge et al., 2014) and mitigate long-term bereavement risks, which can include: * Depression * Suicidal thoughts or behaviors * Anxiety, including posttraumatic stress disorder * Significant sleep disturbances * Increased likelihood of physical illness, such as heart disease, cancer, or high blood pressure * Long-term difficulty with daily living, relationships, or work activities * Alcohol use, nicotine use, or substance misuse (Mayo Clinic, 2021) Research also suggests that parents who are able to attend to their own needs may be more helpful in aiding their grieving child (Werner-Lin & Biank, 2012). Another option for the adults is a Sunday, mid-morning educational workshop that includes information on how children and teens grieve differently from adults, and what adults in a child's life can do to help them navigate the grieving process. The first evening includes a psychoeducational session in which the counselors discuss various grief reactions - including emotional, behavioral, mental, physical, and spiritual issues - in an attempt to normalize the participants' experiences. After lunch and some free time, the counselors share additional coping strategies, such as: * Relaxation techniques (e.g., deep breathing, listening to music) * Guided imagery exercises (see sidebar for more information) * Thought stopping * Positive self-talk * Physical exercise * Dancing * Reading * Sharing memories or thoughts and feelings with others * Journaling Camp provides the adult campers with a conveniently sized journal so they can begin to write down their thoughts and feelings.
ISSN:0740-4131