Grieving?
Someone out there right now in this very moment has lost something/one or is in the process of losing something/one. Whether it be losing a great sports hero to getting a bad grade on a math test. We all deal with loss and how we deal with loss is relative to our ability and experience. There are many ways to cope but just wanted to share a bit of education and a simple activity to help anyone out there that needs it.
Elizabeth Kubler Ross shares the different stages of grief. These are normal aspects of loss but to the untrained can cause a spiral downward and even some pretty extreme judgment of self and others. For this purpose, I just want you to allow yourself to notice these stages in you and allow others to also go through these stages:
Denial – Avoidance, Shock, Confusion, Fear. Example statement- “This isn’t happening, it’s not real.”
Anger – Frustration, Irritation, Anxiety. Example, “Why is this happening to me?
Bargaining – Internal Struggle. “What could I have done?”
Depression – Overwhelmed, helpless. “There’s no use, nothing will ever be the same.”
Acceptance – Exploring new normals, beginning a move forward.
A simple activity: A Goodbye Letter
To: (Whatever or Whoever you might be grieving)
I am saying goodbye because________________
Saying goodbye causes me to feel____________
I remember a time when____________________
You taught me____________________________
Something I want you to know is______________
I will always remember _____________________
From:
Cody Hawes LCSW is a clinician that assists those dealing with grief, sexual addiction, trauma, betrayal trauma and marriage/mental health recovery.
