Understand your grief and how you can support yourself and those experiencing loss.
As we journey through life, we inevitably experience grief and loss. This can be through the passing of a loved one, ending of a relationship, loss of a job, illness or disability that alters our life, transitions of life, or grief of global events. As a counsellor, I've experienced what that grief looks like in some of my clients, and have personally become well acquainted with loss and different types of grief. However, I've also seen people navigate their hard times and find resilience and strength to move forward.
In our newsletter this month, we'll be taking a closer look at grief and loss, how this impacts our mental health, and explore strategies for coping during challenging times.
Understanding Grief: The Kaleidoscope of Emotions.
Grief is a multifaceted emotion, it paints your world with colours of sadness, anger, confusion, and longing. We know there are 7 stages of grief, (denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and finally acceptance), but each step forward is filled with memories of what once was and dreams of what could have been. In therapy, we find it helpful, restorative and sometimes joyful, to reflect on anecdotes, and personal insights as we delve into the intricate pathway of grief. These stories help us to unravel complexities as we discover the power of acknowledging our emotions.
Grief & Mental Health: Navigating the Emotional Landscape.
The long lasting effects of grief sends ripples that extend far beyond the immediate loss, it seeps into every part of life as we move forward. Some signs of these ripples are loss of sleep, overwhelming anxiety, spiraling or ruminating thoughts, and a sense of disconnect from life. This shadow across your mental health can leave you feeling adrift in a sea of uncertainty. Your counsellor can help guide you back to yourself and offer support in navigating the emotional landscape of loss.
"Grief in itself is a medicine" - William Cowper.
Strategies for Coping: Finding Light in the Darkness.
In the darkness of sorrow and loss, there is always a glimmer of hope. Although, sometimes it can be really hard to see. At LSC, we know that mindfulness practices, focusing on the here and now, finding gratitude and acceptance are powerful ways to move through grief. Practicing self-care and finding community are remedies for the sense of loss and sorrow.
The Last Word.
When you're ready to take your first steps on the pathway beyond grief and loss, let us remind you that this is not a burden that you have to shoulder alone, but a shared experience that unites each of us. Although it can feel like an isolating experience, that no one could understand what you're going through, you'd be hard pressed to find someone who has not experienced loss in some way.
We also would like to take a moment to acknowledge the collective grief that many of us are feeling across the world as we witness some of the most horrific atrocities of our lifetime; war in Ukraine, the Israel genocide against Palestine, and exploitation of indigenous land and peoples in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and many more. LSC is a safe space to explore this grief and help you find strength in times of tragedy.
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