Navigating through your tween and adolescent years is already difficult, now imagine also coping with a medical condition. It can be a recipe for disaster. Child life specialists work closely with this age group to normalize their experience and help teens feel empowered.
I’m excited to feature an amazing tool that every specialist should use with their patients, Digging Deep: A Journal for Young People Facing Health Challenges, by Rose Offner and Sheri Brisson.
Digging Deep is a writing journal with guided prompts for older kids and teens facing serious and chronic illnesses or disabilities. Beautifully designed pages inspire children ages 10-18 to explore difficult issues more easily and to express their feelings through writing. Digging Deep serves as a tool for improved communication between patients, their families, and professional caregivers, often giving them a sense of hope and building their resilience to adversity.
To request a complimentary copy for a child, a review copy for a hospital or nonprofit organization, or to place an order, go to Digging Deep’s Order Page. They are a nonprofit publisher, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Silicon Valley Community Foundation, offering scholarship books where needed, and gratefully accept donations in order to provide more books to those who need them.
Digging Deep is also available in Spanish: Explorando Hondo—Un diario personal para niños y adolescentes que enfrentan desafios de salud.
For more information, go to their website at Diggingdeep.org or call 1-800-488-3202. Be sure to follow them on Twitter and Facebook.
