Understanding & Addressing Adolescent Grief Issues

A Manual for Any Caring Adult Dealing with Grief in Middle and High School Students

Adolescents are not supposed to experience death.

Although it should never happen, the harsh reality is that it does, and when it does, it is a terrible shock for the adolescent. Understanding and Addressing Adolescent Grief Issues will help you, as the caring adult, be a guide through this troubling time by helping you understand what the adolescent is going through and giving you comprehensive techniques to address the situation. This is a time when a caring, unassuming adult can make a positive difference in a young person by fostering growth and maturity.

Dave Opalewski is President of Grief Recovery Inc., in Saginaw, Michigan, a certified Death and Dying and Suicide Prevention Instructor for Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. He is also a certified support group facilitator and child trauma specialist, along with being a 33 year veteran of K12 education; 25 years as a classroom teacher and 8 years as the Director of At Risk Programs. He worked 3 years part time in a funeral home as an aftercare consultant, working with families of the deceased and pioneered the Saginaw County Aftercare Adult Support Group. He is ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) trained. His published books are, Confronting Death in the School Family, Answering the Cry for Help: A Suicide Prevention for Schools and Communities, Understanding and Addressing Adolescent Grief Issues, and Understanding and Addressing Children Grief Issues. Mr. Opalewski has been published several times in professional journals and is a highly sought after speaker at state and national conferences conducting professional development trainings for several school districts throughout the Country. He was recognized as the “2010 Advocate of the Year” at Central Michigan University for guiding college freshman and a nominee for the 2010/11 and 2012/13 “Excellence in Education” Award. He has recently retired as Professor Emeritus for Central Michigan University in the Teacher Education and Professional Development Department.