Are you experiencing conflicting feelings caused by the end of or change in any familiar pattern of behavior?
If so, you are experiencing a normal response to loss called grief. Traditionally, we think of loss as a loss of a parent, loved one, or a pet.
However, there are many experiences that can produce feelings of grief including:
- INFERTILITY
- POST PARTUM DEPRESSION
- A DIVORCE
- A BREAK UP
- A MOVE
- STARTING SCHOOL
- A GRADUATION
- THE END OF A MAJOR PROJECT, CREATIVE ENDEAVOR, OR PERFORMANCE
- A MAJOR HEALTH CHANGE
- RETIREMENT
- FINANCIAL CHANGES
- THE HOLIDAYS
- LEGAL PROBLEMS
- LOSS OF TRUST EVENTS
- EMPTY NEST
Just to name a few!
We grieve for the loss of all relationships we deem significant no matter how short or long they last. Grief is a universal experience. However, our society is not equipped to respond to an individual who is grieving.
In response to your grief, have you ever been told the following:
“Don’t feel bad,” “don’t cry,” “you need to be strong for others,” “just give it time,” or have you ever heard someone say “give her some space,” “he needs to be alone” or, “Just keep busy.”
The message is “don’t feel your feelings,” “distract yourself from your feelings, and “bury your feelings with activities.”
These messages, although meant to be helpful, can be really inhibiting to your grief recovery process. Without realizing it, you may have come to internalize all of your conflicting feelings around the loss preventing you from the discovering and completing of the unfinished emotions that naturally manifest in significant relationships.
The best time to start recovering from grief is NOW. Using an Action-Based approach, I offer concrete tools to guide you in your recovery journey.
For more information as to how I work as a Certified Grief Recovery Method Specialist, please check out The Grief Recovery Handbook by John W. James
