Methodist Recorder
“First Response to Grief and Loss contains an immense amount of practical and deeply thoughtful guidance. Essential equipment!”
A COMPREHENSIVE package, consisting of a manual, 50 minute DVD and leaflets, has been compiled as a resource “for practitioners dealing with children and young people” by bereavement counsellor Dr Bill Merrington and youth worker Lee Rogerson.
First Response to Grief and Loss contains an immense amount of practical and deeply thoughtful guidance in its equally practical ring bound plasticised paper format.
Part One’s 29 pages are concerned with understanding grief and the many forms of loss which young people may experience through death, divorce, neglect and change, going on to examine the possible consequences of unresolved grief with sensitive understanding of the variety of youthful reactions which can arise.
Part Two deals with developing a response to a myriad emotion laden stories, including the necessary reminders that “time is not a great healer”, that situations which may seem trivial to the listener can be of great significance to the individual and that “poor behaviour often becomes the focus rather than the underlying loss”. There is a common assessment framework with a flow diagram, a list of support agencies, a bibliography and appendices on suicide and confidentiality.
The DVD features a small case of young people with stories to tell about grief and loss and practitioners who have worked with them. The authors’ Christian faith is manifest in the acceptance and nurture which they advocate in dealing with the many aspects of loss in all its forms. Essential equipment!
Review from the Methodist Recorder, June 2007
