Help
and Information for Grieving Teens:
Hot Lines:
2NDFLOOR: a youth helpline serving 21 counties
in NJ. Youth can call a toll free number: 1-888-222-2228
and talk about such issues as: coping with the aftermath of divorce, living with a disability, dealing with grief, fears
about gang violence, concerns over bullying, issues related to sexuality, worries about family conflicts, questions about
drug and alcohol abuse, experiencing racism, problems in peer and dating relationships and more. There is a message
board as well to post questions: www.2NDFLOOR.org
Scarlet Listeners: free and confidential peer counseling and referral, Rutgers affiliated
hotline
(732-247-5555) Website: www.scarletlisteners.org
email:
Scarlet_listeners@hotmail.rutgers.edu
Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide: www.sptsnj.org Great site with
lots of information about suicide prevention for teens, parents and educators.
Girls and Boys Town National Hot Line
(800) 448-3000
National Suicide Hot-line
Your call will be routed to the closest service to you.
1-800-SUICIDE (784-2433)
Chat Rooms:
The
Compassionate Friends
TCF assists families toward positive resolution of grief
following the death of a child of any age and provides information to help others be supportive.
www.compassionatefriends.org
Internet Radio:
Healing
the Grieving Heart: an Internet radio show dedicated to those who have lost loved ones. Broadcasts live every Thursday at
noon. Shows are archived on www.TheGriefBlog.com The Dougy
Center: features the Bill of Rights for Grieving Teens
Hospice Net: helps teens with grief due to life threatening illnesses Net: helps teens with grief due to life threatening illnesses
www.hospicenet.org
SAVE (Suicide Awareness Voices of Education) support
groups for survivors.
www.save.org
What we call
the beginning
is often the end.
And to make an end
is
to make a beginning.
The end is where we start from.
T.S. Elliot
Four Quartets
When your broken heart mends, you will no longer be the same.
You will never be the same again. You will be stronger. June
Cerza Kolf Teenagers Talk About Grief
Creating your own support network:
Some of our friends are
great supports when we are upset or sad while others are able to handle our angry feelings. Think of support as a network
or system instead of just one or two other people in your life. Support networks can be made up of people, places and things. Since
grief affects our entire being it helps to find support for our physical, emotional and social needs. Here are some questions
that can let you know if you have a good enough support system or if you need to build one or enlarge your network. Many
teens turn to safe adults to help them grow their support network. Many teens tell me these adults may be counselors at school,
a parent (yours or someone else's) or even an older sibling or friend.
My Support Network:
1. List 3 people who I feel comfortable to talk to: (I encourage all of
you to find someone in the school building as well since you are there all day and often grief hits while at school. There
are counselors, school nurses, teachers, and others who you can talk to).
_____________________________________________ Phone #
___________________________________________________________________________________
Phone #
___________________________________________________________________________________Phone #
2. Name two places I can go to that helps me to feel comfortable and safe:
(try to locate a place in your own living space and one outside your living space).
________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Name three things that I can do to let my anger and frustration
out and three people I can call or be with. (things that can not hurt myself, others or property).
__________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Name three things I can do to let my sad feelings out and three
people I can call or be with:
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
5. Name three things I can do that helps me let off steam or relieves
my stress and tension:
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
6. Name 3 things I can do when life feels meaningless- when I might
feel hopeless and/or helpless:
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
7. List 3 activities I can do that will help me to express your feelings:
Some teens write, draw, hit pillows, nap, cry, sing, play music, play video games, write songs, journal, play a sport,
work, pound nails, volunteer with younger kids or older people, fish, cook, go to the gym, go for a run, write letters, paint,
do physical work, join a support group, call a hot line, .....
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
8. Name three things that are helpful in getting my mind off of my
grief and loss: it is important to take grief breaks
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
9. List some things that I did when you were younger that helped you through
a difficult time or situation:
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
10. List the names of some songs I can play:
To help me feel good: _________________________________________________________________
To help me feel cared about and loved ____________________________________________________
To help me feel understood ______________________________________________________________
To help me with memories of my loss:________________________________________________________
(Adapted
from the book: Facing Change:)
Helpful Books for Teens Facing Loss and
Grief
When a Friend Dies, Teens Talk about Grieving
and Healing by Marilyn Gootman
The Grieving Teen: A Guide for Teenagers and Their Friends by Helen Fitzgerald
You are Not Alone: Teens Talk about Life after the Loss of
a Parent: by Lynne Hughes (founder of Comfort Zone Camp, www.comfortzonecamp.org
) a wonderful support for kids 7-17 who have lost a parent, sibling or other important person through death. Lynne lost
both her parents by the time she was 14 years old. She is amazing and shows up at each CZC weekend, which now takes place
in 5 states, NJ included.
Grief Girl: True story about a girl who lost both her parents when she was in high school. Great read for a teen
who has lost a parent. Teens have given this book the thumbs up for me to recommend it to others.
Teen
Grief Relief: by Dr., Horsely and Dr. Horesly (mother
and daughter therapists who had lost a son/brother when the daughter was in her early 20's)
Facing
Change: Falling Apart and Coming Together Again in the Teen Years: A book about Loss and Change for Teens by Donna O'Toole
Still Here With Me: Teenagers and
Children on Losing a Parent: Edited by Suzanne
Sjoqvst Translated by Margaret Myers
Letters to a Bullied Girl: Messages of Healing and Hope by Olivia Gardner