Episode
How to Support a Grieving Teen While You're Still Grieving
- Podcast
- Parenting Teens with Dr. Cam
- Published
- Jun 29, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 2088
- Processing state
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Summary
Grief in teenagers rarely looks the way parents expect, often masquerading as typical adolescent behavior—irritability, withdrawal, and emotional volatility. In this transformative conversation with grief expert and master certified life coach Krista St. Germain, parents learn that grief extends far beyond bereavement. It encompasses the loss of a parent, friend, or pet, plus developmental losses like the transition from childhood to adolescence that parents themselves experience. The outdated five-stage grief model has given way to the dual process model, which emphasizes healthy oscillation between confronting loss and finding restoration. This framework helps parents understand that healing happens through intentional balance, not linear progression toward ”acceptance.” Critically, grief affects the entire body—not just emotions. Brain fog, hormonal changes, immune system dips, and physical fatigue are normal neurological responses as the brain relearns where loved ones fit in our lives. Parents often inadvertently shut down their teens’ grief by attempting to fix it, offering false comfort (”everything happens for a reason”), or pressuring premature processing. Instead, modeling healthy emotional expression, normalizing grief as a natural human response, and providing presence without judgment creates safety. The most powerful parental strategy: believing in your teen’s resilience. When teens sense parental doubt about their ability to survive grief, they internalize that doubt. Conversely, demonstrating faith in their capability—while sitting alongside them in pain—builds confidence to navigate life’s hardships and opens doors to post-traumatic growth.