In many grief recovery programs, support is often available for younger children and adults, but there is a definite void in teen services. I have seen this void throughout our country. Teenagers often give us mixed messages. They tell us that they need and expect our help in providing them with food and a nurturing environment but also tell us, on the other hand, that they can run their lives on their own. Because people do not always know how to respond to teens, they frequently back off, resulting in a teen who is left to grieve alone or with very limited support.
Adolescence is perhaps one of the most difficult and confusing stages in life.
It is a time of change and with every change, comes a grieving process. Meals and family events will not be spent together with the frequency of the past. Divorce in a family will also bring about a grieving process as one parent leaves the home. Children who have been abused or sexually molested will experience the loss of innocence and control of their bodies - a very painful grieving process. The dating process, a very natural process in adolescence, also involves grief as relationships build and then dissolve as they discover who they are and what they want in life.