Recently, I have been talking about various aspects of grief; how we need the death story to make sense of loss, how we are often in mourning for people and things which those around us may not recognise as important. This week, I have been reflecting on the part that grief plays, in resilience.
Read moreEveryone Grieves in their Own Way
Recently, I was speaking to a client about the recent death of a family member. She was talking to me about the way that different members of her family were involving themselves in the rituals after the death, and it put me in mind of something i have mentioned here before, but which we often forget as we grieve; grief can show itself in so many different ways, and yet still be grief.
Read moreWhat is Disenfranchised Grief
One of the things that I often see in my practice as a counsellor, is that there is a lot of grief out there, which goes unacknowledged. Of course I'm going to say that — to acknowledge grief is one of my life's passions. Fortunately however, I'm not the first, and I'm certainly not alone in noticing it.
Read more6 Things to Do When a Friend Is Diagnosed
When we hear the words breast cancer or MS, brain tumour or melanoma, I think it's true they can strike fear into our hearts. When it's one of our nearest and dearest, the news can be crippling.
We are suddenly searching for the right words to say, wondering what it is going to mean for them and their once so easily imagined future, but also wondering what it's going to mean for us.
So, I wanted to share with you some tips for how to deal with a friend being diagnosed, that I have gleaned over my years of working in the chronic illness and disability arena.
Read moreResponding to Others Grief
Tonight, it hits me that in the last two months, several of my family members and friends have had parents die, and some of them are preparing for funerals this week.
And as I've heard the news, I've been aware of wanting to get the balance right in my response; have had the feeling that I'm sure we've all had at times, that words are just not enough. I know this topic is often talked about ... what do we say? How should we recognise someone else's grief? How do we get it out to them that we feel their pain if they are shattered, but that we are also not telling them what or how they should feel?
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