"Father of Mine” is an anger anthem from the alternative rock/punk music of Everclear. The lead singer details the complicated relationship and mixed emotions he has with his absentee father. He notes the happy memories he experienced with his father as well as the domestic violence he witnessed, thus compounding his anger and confusion. The chorus of the song directly deals with abandonment as they sing, "My daddy gave me a name, and then he walked away.”

This song could be used with adolescents and older, but particularly with adolescents who have struggled with an absentee parent due to divorce, incarceration, abandonment, etc. It is important to consider the reference to domestic violence in the lyrics when choosing an appropriate client population. It can be used individually, but also in the group setting to evoke emotions and discussion on the group’s shared experience of abandonment. I have used this in a group setting with high school students who are the children of divorce. A copy of the lyrics for each person was given and then we listened to the song. This was a fairly emotional experience for these students, but it generated rich discussion about the anger, hostility, and disappointment they harbored for a parent. A discussion on the universality of the group experience