The following information is based on The Grief Recovery Program developed by the Grief Recovery Institute.
Grief and Loss
Loss comes in many forms. We may lose someone close to us, such as a parent, child, or our beloved dog. We may lose them to death or we may lose our relationship to them as we have come to know it. Our relationships with people who are important to us can change over time. A long-term friend or partner may betray us and leave us feeling a loss of trust. A grandparent may develop Alzheimer’s disease and no longer remembers us. In each of these situations a relationship as we have known it has been lost and we need to grieve that loss.
Myths About Grief
There are many myths about how people can deal with grief – many of them are not accurate or helpful at all. Often people are given the advice to “Keep Busy” as a way to deal with their pain. Or perhaps they are told to “Be Strong” for the kids or to “Replace the Loss” with another pet/partner/job. While all of these comments may be accurate intellectually, they do not honour the pain we feel in our hearts as a result of our loss. Often, after many years, significant pain is still felt when thinking about the loss, proving that “Time Heals All Wounds” may not work as well as some people believe.
The Grief Recovery Program
The Grief Recovery Program is based on the framework that all people will experience loss in their lives and that often we do not have the correct information or skills to deal with our grief. Grief is something that is a “normal and natural reaction to loss” and that with a “series of small and correct choices” we can recover from our grief.
What is Recovery?
Recovery from grief means being able to talk about our losses and remember the good memories without feeling hurt, pain or guilt. It means being able to fully enter into new relationships without being pulled down by what happened in the past. Recovery is taking control of your circumstances and your reactions instead of being controlled by what happens around you.
Want to Work with a Grief Recovery Specialist?
If you would like to explore the ways you have been impacted by grief and learn skills to recover from grief, book an appointment with Charlene Richard, Grief Recovery Specialist, at 613-220-1870 or go towww.grief.net for more information about the program.