5 Tweens and Teens 141
adults. The intensity and malleability of adolescence make it a fruitful and
exciting time to help teens as they make use of the growth opportunities inher-
ent in losses of all kinds.
Discussion Questions
- How has the experience of coming out as LGBTQ changed in your geo-
graphic or practice area over the last decade? How might that affect identity
losses for individuals who identify with one of these categories?
- How might schools develop services for teens who have experienced the
death of friends so that they can be delivered as support that is not stigma-
tizing within the school environment?
- Discuss with a small group the ways you could encourage teens to reveal
that a friend/peer may be considering suicide. How might that process
work to assure that the at-risk teen gets intervention in a respectful manner
and that the revealing teen is not ostracized?
