The four tasks of mourning, developed by James Worden, are designed to help clients process their grief. These tasks include acknowledging that the person is gone and will no longer return, and allowing oneself to feel the different emotions resulting from grief.
The TEAR Model Of Grief (PDF) handout summarizes the four tasks of mourning into an easy-to-remember acronym: TEAR. Each letter represents a task—To accept the reality of loss, Experience the pain of loss, Adjust to life after loss, and Reinvest in the new reality. It’s structured in a way that’s understandable for a child’s age.
Using the TEAR model, children and teens may feel encouraged to express their emotions, which helps manage their grief. Parents and clinicians can help kids cope more effectively by exploring strategies together, such as doing enjoyable activities and talking things out.
Our Self-Care Activities for Kids & Teens handout is also a wonderful resource for managing intense emotions during the grieving process and promoting resilience.
This handout is included in our 13-page Grief And Loss Handouts Bundle along with several other helpful resources to support those experiencing grief.
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Want more resources like this? Check out our full catalog of grief worksheets and handouts.
References:
- Pacaol N. F. (2023). Acceptance, Endurance, and Meaninglessness: A Qualitative Case Study on the Mourning Tasks of Parental Death From Childhood Experience to Adolescence. Omega, 88(2), 376–397. https://doi.org/10.1177/00302228211024465
- Haine, R. A., Ayers, T. S., Sandler, I. N., & Wolchik, S. A. (2008). Evidence-Based Practices for Parentally Bereaved Children and Their Families. Professional psychology, research and practice, 39(2), 113–121. https://doi.org/10.1037/0735-7028.39.2.113
