Supporting Young People Through Loss

Death and loss are never easy, and it can be especially difficult for youth who have never experienced it before or who are confused and don’t know how to respond. As a caring adult in their life, you can help a young person navigate their experience, as well as make sense of and accept what has happened.

Conversations around loss are never easy, but it's important to remember to be open and honest when talking about what happened, be accepting of how the young person responds and grieves and give them time to process everything. 

This Psychology Today article compiles some helpful tips on how to talk with young people about loss.  Some of these tips are geared more toward parents/guardians of a young person...but there are others that are appropriate for any adult looking to offer extra support during a difficult time, including:

• Let them see you grieve
• Share memories and talk about the person
• Keep up your regular routine
• Don’t put a ban on laughter