Contributed By: Summit Achievement Team
The process of grieving when your child is in residential treatment can be a complex and deeply emotional experience, often compounded by shifting expectations.
A lot of families feel grief but don’t necessarily name it that because it is not what we commonly associate grief with. Nonetheless, parents do, in fact, suffer a loss of what they thought their child’s path was going to be, and their children are absent from pivotal points in their lives. Kids in treatment have missed celebrating birthdays with family – either their own or a loved one, graduations, proms, class trips, playing sports, family vacations, and other key moments. They have often all missed out on “traditional” middle or high school experiences.
Kids grieve the loss of their school experience too and they go through the stages of grief in their own way. For parents and kids alike, this is an opportunity for the family. Will it be the path everyone envisioned? No, but it will be a new path that will hopefully open doors that you never thought possible.
While you move through the process at your own pace, here are some thoughts to consider:
1. The Grief of Letting Go:
You might experience grief similar to the feeling of loss, even though your child is still alive and present. It can feel like you’re losing the version of your child you once knew, and you may mourn the relationship you envisioned having with them at home. Sending a child to residential treatment often involves acknowledging that your child needs a level of care and support that can’t be provided at home to keep them safe and allow them to begin to heal.
2. Shifting Expectations:
Over time, you may find that your initial expectations of what the treatment process would look like need to evolve. You might have hoped for quick fixes or a smooth journey, but the reality is that the journey is not linear and can involve setbacks, slow progress, or unforeseen challenges. You may need to…Read Full Article at SummitAchievement.com
Contributed By: Summit Achievement Team
Summit Achievement, a licensed and accredited residential treatment center, is in the White Mountains Region of Maine. Guided by positive reinforcement and the power of choice, Summit Achievement’s outcome-focused program employs effective therapeutic and educational principles. Summit Achievement has been serving adolescents of all genders from all over the world since 1996. Through the process of engaging therapy, classroom academics, and exciting wilderness expeditions, students experience the therapeutic benefit of outdoor adventure-based activities while learning to manage the demands of a more traditional environment.
Learn more at summitachievement.com.
