Loss Letters
Suggested Group(s): Teen
Purpose: To provide the opportunity to address their thoughts and feelings about 'death' and/or 'grief' in concrete words or drawings.
Task/need: Approaching the pain of the loss, relating the loss to a context of meaning
Activity Setup Ideas:
- Discuss the concept that each person in the group has been touched by death and is grieving.
- Ask the question, "If you could say anything to death, what would it be?"
Materials:
- Paper
- Pens, pencils or fine point markers
Description: Simply ask the group members to start a letter with the words, "Dear Death" and write a letter or poem to their vision of 'death.' If a teen or group of teens is struggling, a drawing may be substituted for letter writing.
Activity Wrap Up Ideas: Allow the group members to share if they wish or take the letters home. Discuss the (possibly intense) feelings elicited by the letter writing.
Alternatives: The group can write their letters to ‘grief’ to let grief know their thoughts and feelings toward it.
