Week 9: Monday Group Night
Amita B -
Hi Everyone!
This week, for Monday’s grief group night, I shifted from the teen group to the younger kids (ages 7-11) in the purple group. Before the grief group began, we discussed the second of Alan Wolfelt’s Six Needs of Mourning: “Embrace the pain of loss.”
We also went over the activities for the day before, including reading The ABCs of Grief by Jessica Correnti. The kids took turns reading aloud and picking a letter that resonated with them. One child chose “V” for “Valid,” explaining that they felt others didn’t understand what they were going through, but that their feelings were valid.
Afterward, the kids each got a canvas and paints to express their emotions through the letter they chose. It was amazing to see how creatively they interpreted their grief—one child painted “B” for “Burst,” symbolizing a lightning bolt. They really enjoyed this activity, which allowed them to express their feelings in a non-verbal way.
It was inspiring to see how the kids engaged with the activities, using creative expression to process their grief. Their energy and openness reminded me of the importance of providing kids with ways to express their emotions. It was a great reminder that grief doesn’t always have to be somber.
Thank you for reading! See you next week!