The Journey through Grief and Loss Grief an… · components of grief & loss, dispel myth and...
Transcript of The Journey through Grief and Loss Grief an… · components of grief & loss, dispel myth and...
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The Journey through Grief and Loss
Presented by
Avis Garcia, PhD, LAT, LPC, NCC
June 24, 2020
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Webinar Learning Objectives
Understand the components of grief & loss, dispel myth and misconceptions about grief and loss, and explore how grief affects individuals from a physical, emotional/psychological, behavioral, and spiritual perspective.
Define complicated grief, identify when grief is complicated, and explore ways to help individuals address complicated grief.
Define complicated grief, identify when grief is complicated, and explore ways to help individuals address complicated grief.
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Let grief find the freedom to be expressed. Let grief find the right to be understood.
~Kei Gilbert
Inspirational Reading
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Why talk about Grief?
• CHANGE HAPPENS!
• TO LIVE IS TO EXPERIENCE LOSS
• “LITTLE DEATHS”
• “CHANGE IS INEVITABLE – GROWTH IS OPTIONAL.”
WALT DISNEY
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Clearing the A i r : Some myths and misconceptions about grief and loss
Anger is not a normal response to loss.A grieving person should minimize feelings. It takes 2 weeks to 3 months to get over grief. All losses are the same.Everyone grieves differently.Grief and loss is only attributable to death.
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Facts About Grief
Trying to ignore your pain or keep it from surfacing will only make it worse in the long run.
Feeling sad, frightened, or lonely is a normal reaction to loss. Showing your true feelings can help you and others deal with the grief.
Crying is a normal response to sadness, but its not the only one.
There is no right or wrong time frame for grieving.
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Grief is…“deep or intense sorrow or distress, especially atthe death of someone. It is something that causeskeen distress or suffering as a response to a loss.”
Grief…what isit?
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Grief is a continuing process with many changes.
Grief is a natural reaction.
Grief is a reaction to the experience of many kinds of losses, not just death alone.
Grief: A Reaction to Loss
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the absence of a possession or future possession; absence of a relationship.
Lossis…
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What are some losses we experience?
Bra instorm A c t i v i t y
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Various Losses•Loss of a spouse through death or divorce
•Loss of a parent or child through death or divorce Loss of a family member or friend
•Miscarriage or Abortion
•Loss of a beloved pet Loss of arelationship
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Various Losses,
continued
Loss of functioning through disability Loss of sense of identity
Loss of sense of security
Loss of childhood through abuse or neglect Loss of a job or financial stability
Loss of health
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The N a t u r e of Grief
Grief is different for everyone. Support systems will vary.Resources are not always known or available. Everyone has different coping styles.There are gender differences related to grief. Grief reflects cultural and religious differences.Grief depends on what else is going on in a person’s life.
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Types of
Grief
Anticipatory – experienced before the loss; associated with diagnosis, acute, chronic & terminal illnesses
Uncomplicated – often called “normal”; may include physical, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral responses to loss
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Types of Grief, continued•Disenfranchised - is a loss that cannot be openly acknowledged, socially validated, or publicly mourned. DG often include grief that is encountered when a loss is experienced, but can not be openly acknowledged or publicly shared (i.e. HIV clients, family of HIV patients and clients, mistresses/lovers, ex- spouses or partners, death from substance use/overdose, suicide, abortion, miscarriages, stillbirth, loss of a pet, chronic illness or disease, etc.).
•Complicated – often include chronic (grief that will not subside and continues over time), delayed (grief that are suppressed or postponed—avoiding the pain of the loss), exaggerated (grief that resorts to self-destructive behaviors), and masked grief (grief in which the individual is not aware that behaviors are interfering with normal functioning).
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When Grief Isn’t Healing
• Chronic grief
• Delayed grief reactions
• Avoiding grieving
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Signs and symptoms of complicated grief may include:
Intense sorrow, pain and rumination over the loss of your lovedone
Focus on little else but your loved one'sdeath
Extreme focus on reminders of the loved one or excessive avoidance of reminders
Intense and persistent longing or pining for thedeceased
Numbness or detachment
Feeling that life holds no meaning orpurpose
Problems accepting the death
Bitterness about your loss
Lack of trust in others
Inability to enjoy life or think back on positive experiences with your loved one
Complicated Grief
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Complicated grief, continued•Other signs and symptoms of complicated grief may include:
•Recurrent troubling thoughts about the death (e.g.: thinking over and over that someone could have done something different that would have prevented thisdeath)
•Behaviors to try to block out the painful reality (leaving a room or possessions untouched, spending a lot of time day dreaming about being with the deceased person, protecting oneself from being reminded of them, trying to avoid people places or things that they used to do with the deceased person)
•Feelings like guilt or anger that are difficult to control
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Complicated grief continues when someone….
•Has trouble carrying out normal routines
•Isolates from others and withdraws from social activities Isstuck
•Has health issues/health is jeopardized
•Experiences depression, deep sadness, guilt, or self-blame
•Believes they did something wrong or could have prevented the death Feels life isn't worth living without their loved one
•Wishes they had died along with their loved one
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Risk Factors of Complicated Grief
•Complicated grief occurs more often in females and with older age. Factors that may increase the risk of developing complicated grief include:
•Losing a loved one in a sudden or violent way/An unexpected or violent death, such as death from a car accident, or the murder or suicide of a loved one
•Death of a child
•Close or dependent relationship to the deceased person Social isolation or loss of a support system or friendships
•Individuals vulnerable to mood or anxiety disorder/Past history of depression, separation anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or other mental health disorders
•Traumatic childhood experiences, such as abuse or neglect
•Other major life stressors, such as major financial hardships, difficult relationships with
•parents growing up
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Support for Complicated Grief
•Be present and available. Understand that the bereaved may feel abandoned and recognize that you could inadvertently contribute to these feelings.
•Take initiative in making contact. Don’t expect reciprocity during acute grief. Try to understand that the bereaved person might not be able to meet expectations and demands during this time.
•Listen closely. Share knowledge and advice sensitively and honestly, if requested. Be willing to sit in silence, squeeze their hand or give them a hug.
•Encourage honest disclosure from the bereaved. Let the person know it’s okay to cry and to feel scared or angry. Make it known that you won’t judge them. Understand that a grieving person may feel the need to put up a front because they are worried that others can’t deal with their emotions. Encourage the bereaved not to do this with you.
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Support for Complicated Grief
•Provide help with problem solving in a spirit of partnership and not as an authority. Be honest when you are uncertain about what will be helpful; share this with the bereaved person in a respectful way.
• Let the bereaved person lean on you, especially in ways that are not so obvious.
•Be respectful of the mourning process and patient with its progress. Have faith in the bereaved person.
• Remember the deceased and talk about this person.
•Look for ways to promote positive feelings in the present and hope for the future. Don’t feel discouraged by the natural sadness that infuses these feelings.
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Support for Complicated Grief
•Show respect for the person’s need for independence and solitude while making clear your strong commitment to being available and responsive.
•Let the bereaved know that you want to stay in touch for the long haul. Make it clear that you understand that there are days of the year that are especially difficult and that you want to help with those times.
•Be aware of your own feelings about what you want from the bereaved person that they can’t give to you right now. Don’t try to push these feelings away. Do try to find other ways to have your own needs met.
•Encourage the bereaved person to ask for help. Ask them what you can do and if they don’t know, make suggestions. You might be able to help with errands, accompany them on a walk or drive them somewhere. You might just spend quiet time with the person.
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Physical Responses to Grief
Tightness in throat or heaviness in the chest Empty feeling in the
stomach; hollowness Loss of appetite/appetite change
Difficulty sleeping/sleep disturbances Crying at
unexpected times
Change in mood (depression) Shortness of
breath
Lack of energy
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Anger
Afraid
Anxious
Ashamed
Bitter
Confused
Depressed
Despair
Detached
Emptiness
Guilty
Fear
Helpless Hopeless Jealously
Emotional Responses to Grief
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Helpless
Lost
Guilty
Lonely
Numbness
Overwhelmed
Preoccupied
Relief
Resentment
Sadness
Shocked
Vulnerable
Yearning
Emotional Responses to Grief
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Cognitive Responses to Grief
ConfusionInability to concentratePreoccupation with thoughts and images of the deceasedDreams of the deceased DisbeliefSearch for meaning in life and death
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Behavioral Responses to Grief
•Impaired work or school performance Crying
•Withdrawal
•Avoiding reminders of the deceased
•Seeking or carrying reminders of the deceased
•Over-reactivity
•Changed relationships
•Self-destructive behaviors (i.e. alcoholism, drug use, etc.)
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Spiritual Responses to Grief•Loss of faith in God Confusion about God Questioning God aboutthe
•death/not understanding “why”
•Angry with God about the death Abandoning religious practices Not attending worship services
•Wondering about meaning and purpose.
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Shock/Denial Facing Emotions Depression Physical Symptoms Panic
GuiltHostilityDriftingHope
The GriefCycle
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The 5 Stages of Grief
Denial
Anger
Bargaining
Depression
Acceptance
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This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA
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Four Tasks of Mourning
To accept the reality of the loss
To work through & experience the pain of
grief
To adjust to an environment in which
the deceased is missing
To emotionally relocate the deceased and move
on with life.
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Brainstorm Activity•What are some common responses or comments people make when someone is grieving?
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Some common responses &comments…
•“He was sick---you knew he was going to die” “It was God’s will”
•“They’re better off now”
•“At least they’re not in anymore pain”
•“There must be a reason” “You will be ok”
•“The Lord giveth & the Lord taketh” “They are resting inheaven”
•“I understand/I know how you feel”
•“This is what happens when you live that type of lifestyle”
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Some common responses &comments…
•“You will get over it in time”
•“Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning” “It will be alright---you will get through it”
•“What happened---was she sick?”
•“Snap out of it”
•“You got to be strong/Be strong for your family”
•“He/she lived a good life”
•“You must or should move on”
•“You have gotten through other things, you can get through this” “You are the strong one”
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Some common responses &comments…
•“God will never give you more than you can handle” “Be thankful you have other children”
•“Get a hold of yourself/Pull yourself together”
•“You can always have other children”
•“You’re young”
•“Others have it worse than you”
•“At least he/she is not suffering”
•“They are in a better place”
•“Earth has no sorrow that HEAVEN cannot heal” “He did it to himself ”/”She did it toherself ”
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What can you say or do?• “I am sorry for your loss”
• “I can’t imagine what you are going through” “I care”
• “I don’t know why”
• “I don’t know what to say, but I’ll be glad to listen” “What can I do tohelp?”
• OR Give a hug or kiss Be silent
Hold the person’s hand Listen
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Warning signs that someone needs H E L P !
•No interest in regular activities Loss of capacity to love Physical distress
•Preoccupation with the image of the person Guilt
•Hostile reactions/Angry
•Withdrawal Hopelessness/Helplessness No will to live
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Grief Work
• Grief therapy: goal is not about forgetting but remembering with less pain.
• Developing adaptive coping mechanisms.
• Finding meaning.
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Helping Someone who is Grieving
• Listen
• Acknowledge the uniqueness of grief
• Offer practical help
• Make contact, write a personal note
• Be aware of holidays and anniversaries
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I f you are providing grief services, please consider these guidelines…
•Know when to use active listening (communicating empathy) Feeling comfortable with active listening comes with practice Don’t give up tooquickly
•Accept that active listening will feel artificial at first
•Try using other listening skills (i. e. door openers, no feedback) Avoid pushing or imposing active listening on others
•Don’t expect people to accept your solution
•Listen to what is not being said
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Getting Support When You Are Grieving
• Don’t grieve alone
• Face your feelings
• Express your feelings in a tangible or creative way.
• Look after your physical health,
• Plan ahead for grief “triggers”.
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Grief Coaching, Grief Counseling, or Grief Therapy
•Grief Coaching is helping clients transition, adjust, and plan their changed life in ways meaningful for them (Hitchens, 2017). Grief Coaching supports, encourages, and helps clients discover the meaning of life after the death of a loved one. Grief Coaching also helps clients identify life going forward, visualizing the future without their loved one, discovering challenges associated with their grief, moving past those challenges, and helping clients refocus on life’s goals and possibilities.
•Grief Counseling involves helping clients facilitate uncomplicated or “normal” grief to a healthy adaptation to the tasks of mourning within a reasonable time frame. Grief counseling is usually offered as a service under the auspice of hospice organizations. It is done by licensed clinician, and is usually short-term. Clients seeking grief counseling usually have more supports and resources inplace.
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Grief Coaching, Grief Counseling, orGrief Therapy, continued
•Grief Therapy involves helping clients better adapt to the loss or death. It is helping clients resolve conflicts of separating that precludes them from accomplishing the tasks of mourning. The grief is usually chronic, delayed, excessive, or masked. Grief Therapy helps clients with abnormal or complicated grief reactions by helping them experience
•thoughts and feelings that may have been avoided. It requires more “deeper” work with
•clients. Some procedures of grief therapy is to:
•Rule out physical disease
•Set up a contract and establish an alliance Revive memories of the deceased
•Assess which of the four mourning tasks the client is struggling with
•Deal with affect or lack of affect stimulated by memories Help clients acknowledge the finality of the loss
•Assess and help clients improve social relationships
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Assure the person that their feelings and emotions are normal Allow person to cry
Be there: your presenceInitiate something to do (dinner, pick the person up, help with arrangements)Listen attentively (esp. non-judgmentally)Avoid clichés or quick answers Be silent
Encourage people to express their feelings
Helping others through grief
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Anger may be a part of the griefDo not ask questions about how the death happened Offer opportunities for them to talk & rememberAllow people to grieve as long as needed/at their own pace Help them find support, connect them to a grief counselor
Post-death syndrome (be aware of suicidal ideations, homicide, etc.)
Helping others through grief
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Some Techniques to Use W i th Clients…
•Gestalt Technique/Empty Chair Journaling
•Writing letters to the deceased/Goodbye letters Homework Assignments
•Role Playing Bibliotherapy
•Rituals/Customs
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Par t ing Words for the Clinician
•“We can not give what we do not have. Self-care is the foundation for caring about others.”
•Judith A. Graham
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When working w i t h indiv iduals who are grieving, consider this : Pathways to Self-Care
•Consider how you replenish your mind, body, heart, and spirit (How do youfill
•your emotional cup)?
•Access and nurture support (What are your sources of meaningfulsupport)? Stay connected to meaning (What brings you joy as a helper)?
•Engage in reflective practice (How do you increase your self-awareness)?
•Be kind to yourself (In what ways are you kind and compassionate toyourself)?
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Helping yourself through grief
•Accept your own grief Accept your feelings Learn about grief
•Find an outlet for your feelings/Express your grief through talking, journaling, etc.
•Focus on the grief and then pull back Find an outlet for your feelings
•Care for your whole being---body, soul, and spirit Draw on your resources (creativity, spirituality)
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Helping yourself through grief
•Provide gentle self-care when grief is fresh Seek ongoing support
•Seek and accept ongoing support from others
•Manage the stress of change/adjust to those changes Embrace the memories
•Search for meaning
•Have fun and relax! Have HOPE
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When is Grieving over?
• When a person can think of what was lost without acute pain.
• When the tasks of mourning have been accomplished.
• When one can think of the what was lost without physical manifestations such as crying or feeling tightness in the chest.
• When one can reinvest his/her emotions into life and the living.
• When one can regain an interest in life, feel more hopeful, experience gratification again and adapt to new roles.
• Is there a time limit? 1 year? 4 seasons? 2 years? It depends…
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Remember…•“Grief is a normal and necessary process that is fundamentally a journey of the heart and soul.”
•~Dr. Alan D. Wolfelt
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Refer ences•Hitchens, J. (2017). Navigasting grief: A coach for grief. Retrieved from http://www.navigatinggrief.com/about-coaching/.
•Mayo Clinic (2017). Complicated grief. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/complicated-grief/symptoms- causes/syc-20360374
•McMahon, R. & Persson, K. L. (2008). Good Mourning: A resource for healing. Fall Church, VA: Capital Caring.
•Modern loss (2017). Complicated grief: How it’s different. Retrieved from http://modernloss.com/complicated-grief-different/
•Mortell, S. (2015). Assisting clients with disenfranchised grief: The role of a mental health nurse. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 53(4), 52-57.
•Pillai-Friedman, S., & Ashline, J. L. (2014). Women, breast cancer survivorship, sexual losses, and disenfranchised grief – a treatment model for clinicians. Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 29(4), 436-453.
•Spidell, S., Wallace, A., Carmack, C., Nogueras-Gonzalez, G.M., Parker, C., & Cantor, S. B. (2011). Grief in healthcare Chaplains: An investigation of the presence of disenfranchised grief. Journal of Health Care Chaplaincy, 17, 75-86.
•St. Clair, J. S. (2013). The witnessing of disenfranchised grief: Reliability and validity. Journal of Nursing Measurement, 21(3), 401-414. doi:
•10.1891/1061-3749.21.3.401
•The Center for Complicated Grief (2017). Providing Good Support. Retrieved from https://complicatedgrief.columbia.edu/resources/resources- public/providing-good-support/
•WebMD (2017). What is normal grieving, and what are the stages of grief? Retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/balance/normal-grieving- and-stages-of-grief#1.
•Wolfelt, A. D. (2006). Companioning the bereaved: A soulful guide for caregivers. Fort Collins, CO: Companion Press.
•Worden, W. (2009). Grief counseling and grief therapy (4th ed.). New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company.