Teens Dealing with Death; When Someone Dies: Understanding Grief

One in five teens will lose a parent or loved one by the end of high school, while close to 90% will experience the death of someone close. Teens Dealing with Death examines the pain and confusion surrounding the death of family or friends, mostly through interviews with kids between the ages of 13-18 years, as it explores the grieving process and all its attendant emotions, and suggests strategies for healing and moving on with life. Primarily shot on location at Camp Comfort Zone--an intensive weeklong bereavement camp in Virginia designed specifically for young people--this is not an infomercial, even though the video's structure follows the experiences of campers as they interact and engage in activities to help cope with the loss of a loved one. At times sentimental, and relying a bit too much on dramatic camera effects to break up the interviews, the fillmmaker's choice to present most of the content in the teens' own words will help peers connect with the experiences shared here. A strong optional purchase. Aud: J, H, P.Offering a look at the unique needs of young people who are dealing with the loss of a family member, When Someone Dies: Understanding Grief combines the personal stories of several older teens together with explanation and commentary by adult professionals, including a bereavement expert, counselors, and a funeral director. While the emotions associated with the grieving process might be similar to or the same as those of an adult's, this program points out that the behavior of a teenager may well be different, depending on a number of factors related to gender and/or manner of death (in some families, the death of a parent thrusts a kid into the premature and awkward position of assuming a caretaker role). While not an especially compelling program (especially visually, as it's fairly heavy on talking heads), the lack of sentimentality and focus on the nuts-and-bolts of grieving make this a strong optional purchase. Still, a better choice here might be the In the Mix episode Dealing With Death (VL-3/01). Aud: J, H, P. (E. Gieschen)