Journaling Grief

One way to work through grief is a personal journal. The purpose of journal writing is to attend to our grief by expressing the feelings we keep inside. Our journal may house our innermost thoughts and provide a healthy release from these emotions. It provides a safe place to express ourselves. It acts as a reflector of what we are experiencing, and can give us the stimulation and support which many of us seek from other people.


You can make your own journal or purchase one. There are several geared specifically for the grieving person. In addition to your feelings, you may want to include drawings or clips from magazines, helpful or inspirational quotes or anything else that has meaning for you.

Here are some phrases to help you get started…

I feel.....
I forgot to tell you.....
You taught me.....
You would be proud to know that I.....
I can hear you say.....
I remember.....
I am grateful for.....
I will get through the day by.....
I get support from.....
It helps me to .....

Remember, it is your unique journal. You bring to it who you are.

Supporting Grieving Adolescents with Expressive Interventions

In partnership with Lakewood Hospital, a Cleveland Clinic hospital, we are offering a workshop that will address the unique aspects of adolescent grief and offer expressive therapy strategies that support managing loss in this sometimes difficult population.

Wednesday, April 28th, 9:15 - 11:15 at the Lakewood Library.

Contact us for more information at thebereavementcenter@hospicewr.org.

Objectives:

• explain unique concepts concerning adolescent grief


• list three examples of music therapy's effectiveness in managing grief and loss


• describe three art interventions that can be used to support grieving adolescents


• demonstrate journaling as a grief support intervention

Sesame Street: When Families Grieve

Sesame Street’s When Families Grieve premiered last night on PBS. Four families shared their stories about the death of their parent/spouse. Katie Couric did a fine job interacting with Elmo and his cousin as well as the families. This show tackled a growing issue families are facing. So many parents have gone overseas to Iraq and Afghanistan leaving behind the uncertainty of losing a parent. Here in the United States, millions of children lose a parent to death every year. This show demonstrated that talking about grief does really help. Resources are available on line for parents and children, as well as teens, and for those who work with the bereaved.

http://www.sesameworkshop.org/grief

Grieving the Mining Disaster

Our heartfelt condolences go out to the family and friends of the known miners who tragically lost their lives in a huge underground explosion blamed on methane gas in West Virginia. Twenty-five coal miners in the worst U.S. mining disaster in more than two decades have died. Four others are still missing and their chances of survival are dim. Each family’s story is heartbreaking and we hope they find strength and support in the days ahead.

If you are grieving a sudden, traumatic death, please know that you are not alone. It is important to understand that a sudden death falls outside our usual experience, what we expect life to be like. Abruptly losing a special person can shatter our sense of well-being. We may experience very strong reactions that could include fear, helplessness, shock, anger, and, sometimes, horror. These reactions are normal responses to an extremely difficult time in our lives. These trauma reactions mix with our grief, and the results can be overwhelming.

Things that Help

The signs and symptoms of a stress reaction may last a few days, a few weeks, a few months, or longer, depending on the severity of the traumatic death. The understanding and support of family and friends can help the stress reactions pass more quickly. There are a number of things that can help during this very difficult time.

· Maintain as normal a schedule as possible (as impossible as it seems); structure your time
· Follow the basics for good health (even when you don’t feel like it) – rest, eat well, exercise
· Reduce other stressors as much as possible – make to do lists, be patient with yourself when you can’t find your keys, limit distractions that might interfere with concentration
· Be aware of numbing the pain with overuse of drugs or alcohol; go easy on caffeine
· Talk to people – reach out, spend time with others
· Do things that feel good to you – take a walk, listen to music, keep a feelings journal, etc.
· Give yourself permission to feel the pain and share these feelings with others
· Don't feel the need to fight reoccurring thoughts, dreams or flashbacks; they are normal and will decrease overtime and become less painful

April is Autism Awareness Month

Many parents report grieving when their child is diagnosed with autism. They grieve the loss of the child of their dreams. As parents come to accept where their child is actually at and who he or she really is, they become able to dream new dreams for them and for their families. These new dreams are reality based and therefore are more likely to be attainable.

Jim Sinclair wrote an article Don't Mourn For Us which was published in "Our Voice," the newsletter of Autism Network International, Vol 1, number 3, 1993. It is written to parents from the autistic child's perspective. http://www.grasp.org/media/mourn.pdf. I found it very interesting and insightful and I think you will too.

Please take the time to learn as much as you can about autism.

Healing Arts Grief Workshop; Mosaics

Please join us for a healing arts workshop where we will be using old dishes, mirrors, or tiles to create a mosaic box or tray. Grief is often transformational and the process of mosaics parallels grief work. Something that has been broken can be healed and something beautiful can be created. Follow the link below for location and time.

http://www.hospicewr.org/media/MOSAIC-20101.pdf