Surviving the death of a brother or sister is not a phase of life
that eventually passes. Sibling survival is a life-long achievement.
Letters from a Friend: A Sibling's Guide for Coping and Grief
recognizes this and celebrates not only the life of the brother
or sister who has died but the lives and spirits of their sibling
survivors.
This unique workbook is a comprehensive compilation of therapeutic
activities developed to address the needs and issues of children
and adolescents following the death of a brother or sister. The
workbook is organized into distinct topic-specific sections relating
to sibling hospitalization, illness, injury, and death. Games,
creative writing, and drawing exercises offer opportunities to
share feelings and relay experiences in a non-threatening format.
Pages are designed for easy removal to allow personalization of
the text for a survivor's own experiences and interests. Letters
from a Friend may be used by children or teens independently to
create a personal journal of their bereavement and coping processes
as well as a chronicle of their lives as surviving siblings.
Opportunities for family interaction and bonding are available
when parents, caregivers, and surviving siblings review or complete
guide activities together. In this capacity, the workbook serves
as a catalyst to open communication about the deceased brother
or sister and other related, potentially sensitive topics.
Child life specialists, counselors, therapists, and other health
care professionals can use select activities to assess a child's
or teen's emotional health and coping strategies. Optimally, such
guidance and direction from professionals will provide siblings
with beneficial insights and objective alternative perspectives
of their personal experiences.
