Life Before & After
Suggested Group(s): Middle/Teen
Purpose: To encourage the group members to talk about changes that have occured since the death in the many different domains of their life
Task/need: Developing a new self-identity, living on the grief spiral, receiving continued support
Activity Setup Ideas:
- Begin talking about the changes that take place when a family member dies and how they impact many different parts of a person’s life.
Materials:
- Markers
- Easel sheets with headings identifying different facets of the children’s lives, such as: family, friends, school, home, holidays, God or spirituality and two columns (before and after.)
Description: Introduce the activity and allow the children to think of changes that have occurred in these different areas since their loss. Then have each child list how things were within the different areas of their lives prior to the death of their family member and how things are now, after the death for each of the areas.
Use their responses to begin a discussion of the impact of the death on different areas of their lives. Note any common themes and encourage additional expression around these areas. If the conversation allows, move to the feelings attached to the changes and to how group members are managing (or not managing) these changes.
Activity Wrap Up Ideas:
- Note the similar responses and changes that have occurred.
- Thank the group for contributing to the lists and offer to leave the lists in the room through the session, should they want to add more changes in the future.
Deepening the Level of the Activity: This activity can be adapted slightly to also have the children begin to look forward to the future that they see for themselves. By making three columns labeled, "past," "present," and "future," this activity can begin to touch on the meaning that the children are making of the loss and deepen the sharing in the activity.
