One of the many activities of children and teenagers they enjoy work throughout their life childhood he hears music. Music is important when children and teenagers are growing up, and it can be a particularly healthy and positive tool when dealing with the death of a parent. Music can be a useful form therapy in sessions with clinicians as well.
The death of a parent is one of the most difficult situations in life that a child or teenager has to navigate. It’s important to try to find comfort and positive points, as there will be a wide range of distressing emotions young people will experience as they try to work through this situation. For surviving parents and caregivers trying to help support grieving youth, turning to music or clinical music therapy can be very helpful for grieving youth.
“Music therapy for children is offered in a variety of settings: family sessions, individual sessions, limited time at school. mourning groups, care camps for children and teenagers, and open mourning groups at the mourning center. Family therapy sessions using music therapists were facilitated before the death of a loved one to help children cope with the anticipated death and also after the death to help children through the grieving process. ” – Russell Hilliard, Certified Music Therapist
Using music as a healthy coping tool can look like many different things. For some children and teenagers, they can only put on their headphones and listen to music after school. Some may repeat a favorite song of a deceased parent over and over to provide comfort. For others, they may listen to the same music their deceased parents played, or music that resonates with their feelings. A slow or fast song can express the emotions they are going through. Other children and teens may even want to write or compose their own songs to express how they feel as they process the death of their parent.
Whether used in a clinical setting as music therapy or simply as a practical at-home coping strategy, this art-based therapeutic approach can be very helpful for children and adolescents navigating the death of a parent.
