Grief and loss is more than death

In 2005 Ruby Taylor was working as a special educator with the Baltimore City Public Schools. She observed students, hurting and acting out due to abandonment issues, the death of a loved one, and/or separation from family and friends. Since she knew about pain and grief in childhood, she was unable to ignore it in the children around her. Her observations awakened a desire within, to bring awareness to the various grief and losses youth face and the impact it can have on our communities. Out of her passion to assist children and teenagers in healing their broken hearts, Growing Pains documentary was born.

What happens when death, divorce, mental illness, parental separation and drug abuse creates havoc in a young person's life? Cliff, Pamela, Melissa, Jesse, and Alicia, all experienced various losses during childhood and in their teenage years. Through their hurt and agony they grew into adults. Now living as adults Growing Pains will look at how these individuals dealt with their losses and what impact their losses have on their present circumstances and will have on their future.

In The Anatomy of Human Destructiveness, Erich Fromm stated the increase in violence in society is directly related to our inability to grieve. Although Fromm stated the above over 30 years ago, it still rings true today. Can grief and loss create destruction?

Growing Pain Documentary is passionate about spreading awareness about grief and healing for youth and families. We believe if children, adolescents and families had the opportunity to grieve their losses in a safe and productive environment some or all of their adverse behavior would decrease and/or be eliminated. Some adverse effects of losses are poor school performance, lack of motivation, depression and aggressive behavior. By increasing awareness about the hurt and pain adults experienced in their youth we are hoping to make a difference and impact our world. Many children act in an aggressive way against their peers and adults due to inward conflict. Some are dealing with inward grief that has never been processed or dealt with. Growing Pains will shed light on the various grief and losses our youth face.

Growing Pains will give a face to the experiences of grief and losses in childhood. The documentary will look into the past of adults and through interviews and photographs we will give a visual to what happens when children and/or teenagers are forced to face various grief and losses. Growing Pains will explore how adults who dealt with divorce, death, parental separation, and relocation in childhood made it through the years. GROWING PAIN offers viewers the unique opportunity to look into the lives of adults who experienced grief and loss in their youth.