It can be very hard for teens to deal with grief. They lack the emotional maturity needed to process a loss. Plus there can be a stigma around showing emotion and sharing one’s true feelings. Keeping feelings bottled up leads to the inability to develop healthy coping skills to deal with stressful situations, and can also negatively affect how relationships are handled. Because coping with loss is hard, Imagine Omaha offers a grief and loss therapy program for teens to support them in their mental health struggles. Contact our team today to learn about the programs in our safe, supportive, and inclusive environment at 888.306.2681.
Coping With Loss
When teens are in mourning, they experience the full range of emotions possible. This can include sadness, anger, confusion, anxiety, depression, and even violence. Because they have not had the chance to develop the coping skills necessary to fully manage grief, most teens require extra support to cope with a loss. For teens already battling a mental health condition, experiencing a loss on top of that can throw their already fragile emotional state into a tailspin. A grief and loss therapy program can assist teens in managing their emotions around the loss and steer them in the right direction so that they do not act out with unnecessary violence or turn to drugs and alcohol to cope. A variety of therapeutic modalities are used to aid teens in overcoming a loss. Arming them with the right coping tools is key.
Grief and loss can come as a result of many life situations, including the following:
- The death of a loved one
- A natural disaster
- Losing a pet
- Divorce or separation of parents
- Bullying—in person or virtually
- A serious accident
Grief and Loss Therapy Program For Teens
An accredited mental health treatment facility can offer support for grief and loss through a structured trauma therapy program. A loss is considered a traumatic experience. Overcoming a trauma requires the right support and therapy from mental health professionals. Like all trauma therapy, it helps you overcome unresolved traumatic experiences. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) can be highly effective in treating teens dealing with a loss. CBT helps teens to recognize how the loss has impacted them and work to create healthier behaviors through newly learned coping skills.
Grief and loss therapy programs for teens have many benefits, including:
- One-on-one and group therapy to help better understand the root of negative emotions
- A safe space that encourages opening up about their feelings
- Learning coping skills to manage emotions and make healthier choices
- Peer support from other teens going through similar experiences
- Improved communication and interpersonal skills
- Newly found confidence
- Better self-esteem
- A more constructive path than the one that can lead to substance abuse if unaddressed
Imagine Omaha Grief and Loss Therapy Program
Whether your teen is struggling with a personal loss or has been deeply affected by a tragedy in the world, or community at large, they should have access to the proper support to overcome their grief. The reality is, with the prevalence of social media and news on demand, teens are bombarded with the good and the bad of our world in real-time. Many teens are not well-equipped to process grief effectively. The state of teen mental health in the United States following the COVID-19 pandemic is something that will need to be supported for years to come.
Don’t put your teen at additional risk of mental stress or possibly substance abuse. Get them the help they need today by contacting the team at Imagine Omaha at 888.306.2681 today or reach out online. We offer day treatment programs specifically designed for teens ages 12 to 18 who are dealing with grief.