Teens

Being a teenager can have its challenges and there is increasing pressure on teens to look and act a certain way because of peer pressure or pressure from adults.

Abbotsford Hospice Society

Provides a safe environment for teens and families to connect with others who are grieving
Reduces emotional suffering
Reduces the risk of harmful behaviors by addressing grief and loss
Improves health and quality of life by providing skills, information, and support services
Connects individuals who may be grieving alone
Provides skills for family members to connect and transition together
Helps to develop a personal plan for the future
Provides services free of charge

Adding to these factors, the impact of experiencing a sudden and violent death of a friend, classmate or family member can have an exponentially dramatic effect. Sometimes that effect can take the form of risky and socially inappropriate behaviour such as:

Drug and alcohol abuse
Failing Grades
Violence against themselves or others
Suicide

Abbotsford Hospice Society tailors support for each individual teen once their particular situation has been assessed. Some of the supports include but are not limited to one to one support, telephone counselling, online counselling, peer support groups and resource materials. AHS has been called on by families, schools and Abbotsford Police Victims Services to facilitate groups and one to one sessions.

One to one counseling
Telephone counseling
E-mail support
Group support
Expressive/Creative groups (art, music)
Resource Materials

AHS Services for Teens

Volunteer Companions

Trained Abbotsford Hospice Society (AHS) volunteers provide one to one companioning support for grieving teens in a variety of settings.

Counselling

Sometimes grief and circumstance is more complex and factors such as witnessing a sudden or violent death of a classmate or relative can have an exponentially dramatic effect on that teen. In some cases AHS staff will refer a teen to a counsellor for support. This service is offered free of charge.

Equine Facilitated Counselling for teens - “Horses as Healers”

Facilitated by a certified Equine Facilitation Counsellor this one to one counselling for teens includes exposure to horses and nature. Horses are emotional creatures by nature as a means of survival therefore their heightened intuitive abilities can tune them into the emotional states of a young person who is grieving. Horses help the counsellor create indirect stories that parallel life events and difficult situations. The stories are offered to clients as a non-invasive way of providing solutions, choices, and normalizing. Therefore, horses provide a sense of belonging to people because they can see a reflection of pieces of themselves in the horse and the stories. Being around horses makes a person feel nurtured and cared for even if they are caring for the horse – it is a mutual relationship that develops, gives and holds a natural empathy. By integrating horses into the counselling relationship we help to bring healing, growth and hope through the human animal bond.

Support for Abbotsford Students

AHS has been called on by families, local schools and Abbotsford Police Victims Services to facilitate groups and one to one sessions. In addition we provide age appropriate grief and loss support resource materials to students and their families.

Journals and Memory Boxes for Teens

Journaling is one way in which young people may process grief and memorialize those they have lost. AHS provides journals free of charge to teens through schools, community groups or for pick up at our Resource & Support Centre. A variety of Memory Boxes are also available for teens to collect photos and hold special mementos of the person who has died.