Grief is an invisible wound which can be reopened in an instant. It creates anxiety about going places that may trigger you. No one wants to fall apart in public. Grief is like the ocean as it changes with the moon cycle. Like the ocean, grief ebbs and flows, weaning and waning. Sometimes we can hold it together and then the next moment we’re in tears feeling raw pain. We can think of our emotions as a boat that is bobbing around without direction. Therapy is the dock or lighthouse and therapists can assist clients in dropping an anchor.
So how do you create an anchor? It’s a way of grounding yourself in the moment and a therapist can assist you in finding those unique individual thoughts that ground you in the moment. Also, it’s important to practice new narratives in a nonjudgmental and compassionate space. Reframing memories to create alternate paradigms allows yourself permission to reinvent your life. You’ll never be the same person that you were prior to the loss so allow that to be okay and find the positives to hold onto. Everyone has difficult days but there are so many motivational resources online (YouTube, Pinterest and podcasts) where you can borrow someone’s strength until you are, once again, strong enough.
Sometimes just becoming aware of this can provide hope. Just acknowledging creates space to validate and honor your pain, which you can better manage. Don’t push it down, acknowledge grief and learn to lean into it and remind yourself that this too shall pass.
I see clients who struggle with grief, loss, depression, and PTSD. I see children, teens, and adults. Contact our office today to schedule your first session and let me help you on your journey to healing!