Research shows that unprocessed grief among children and teenagers can have a detrimental impact on their functioning and personality. When these young people have not grown the coping skills they need to handle grief, violence, drugs, or alcohol may come into play. I Have a Friend gives a productive outlet for these children along with the opportunity to form a real bond with an individual who has experienced the same deep loss. Kenny Slaught understands the significance of this program, writing, “Recognizing that the child’s life will never be the same, the mentor offers a positive example for how to process and deal with the pain of loss. The mentor serves as a symbol that happiness and wholeness can be achieved no matter how the child may feel in the years immediately following a major loss.”

Read more: http://www.nasdaq.com/press-release/kenny-slaught–enthusiastic-about-the-i-have-a-friend-program-at-hospice-of-santa-barbara-20161212-00350