Denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance, originally identified by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross as the five stages of grief, describe the emotions relating to death and loss. Some individuals feel each of these stages acutely and for long periods. Others may bypass some stages or move through them all very quickly.
Youth who face issues of grief caused by death, loss or trauma, can learn these five stages of grief with help from teachers, counselors, therapists and parents. Loretta Tate, co-founder of Art from the Heart, a program to help children deal with grief in Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania, suggests that grieving children need a way to express and share their troubled emotions.
Acting Activity
Ask the group to create a five-act play, with each group developing and performing one of the stages of grief. Then facilitate a series of discussions among the youth as to the play's story line: ask them to develop a theme, setting and main characters. Provide insights and answer each group's questions about the grief stage they're developing. Guide the groups as they develop each act. After the five acts are completed and rehearsed, have the youth present the play to parents, families and other youth.
Book Activity
Hospice of Texarkana explains that adolescents who do not communicate their grief emotions in a productive way may have discipline problems, poor grades and issues with aggression. Creating a book about the stages of grief gives youth a chance to learn about the grief process and to express personal grief. Youth can work individually on their own book covering all five stages, or divide into five groups with each group writing one chapter of the book. If the book is to be a group project, ask the youth to begin by developing an outline for the story. When the outline is complete, have the youth write and illustrate their chapters or books. Copy the books so each young person has a personal copy, or display the books for others to view.
Path Activity
Ask the youth to create a path or walkway to represent the five stages of grief. Create the path on the floor, in a parking lot or on a sidewalk. Have the youth divide the path into five sections using tape, chalk or pebbles to identify the different stages of grief. Ask the youth to walk the path either as individuals or in small groups and to share thoughts and emotions related to each stage along the path. Facilitate their walk by asking questions and encouraging the youth to ask questions of each other as they walk the path of grief stages.
References
- "On Death and Dying"; Elisabeth Kubler-Ross; 1997
- HillontheAvenue.com: Local Youth Work Through Grief with Art from the Heart
- Hospice of Texarkana: Hospice Sponsors Club in Schools to Support Area Youth
- The Dougy Center: How to Help a Grieving Teen
