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Grief Recovery

  • In-person sessions available
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I believe that every human being would benefit from participating in The Grief Recovery Method®, regardless of their personal life experiences. It provides a road map to emotional healing and recovery from painful losses with supportive guidance every step of the way.

What is The Grief Recovery Method®?

The Grief Recovery Method® is an evidenced-based program that has been refined over the past 40 years to help you recover from the pain, isolation, and loneliness caused by loss of any kind. It is the only grief support program in the world that is evidence based. This means that people who work through the action steps of the program can have high confidence that they will find healing and recovery from their pain.

The method is not only helpful for people who are grieving as a result of a death or divorce. It will also help with other losses that are considered to cause grief, like retirement, moving, financial change, pet loss, loss of health, loss of trust, and more. It will aid people who have experienced the pain of unmet hopes, dreams, and expectations in a relationship. It can help people resolve the pain of things they wish went differently in their career.

How does The Grief Recovery Method® work?

The Grief Recovery Method® is a structured program based off of The Grief Recovery Handbook written by John James and Russell Friedman. The Grief Recovery Method® can be delivered face-to-face or online. The first part of the program will teach you more about what grief is and the myths and beliefs about grief that have kept you stuck. You will identify the various losses that have impacted your life and the emotional and behavioral habits that have hindered your healing process. You will gain insight into the subtle and significant ways in which grief has impacted your emotional, psychological, physical, social, and spiritual health. The second part of the program will help you identify what relationships and experiences are weighing you down, and the unresolved emotions that are keeping you stuck and unable to move forward.

You will learn methods of how to deliver emotional communications that either you never made, or that you felt were never heard, or that need to be said again, with a safe person hearing you say them. You will be given the ability to say goodbye to unmet hopes and dreams, and release pain that is limiting your enjoyment of fond memories. You will understand grief better than most people and gain confidence that you can navigate the challenges you face in this life.

Grief Recovery Method® formats

7-Session 1-on-1 Grief Recovery® Program

My individual approach to Grief Recovery® will allow you to explore, uncover, and heal your loss(es) at your own pace. Everyone’s grief healing process is unique, so you may need more than 7 sessions to most benefit from the program. My main priority is that you would experience emotional completion of the pain from which you suffer, in a safe and meaningful way.

8-Week Grief Recovery® Support Group (To Be Determined)

My 8-week support group will allow you the opportunity to share and connect with other people who have experienced various losses in a safe and non-judgmental environment. This is not a drop-in style group, so weekly attendance of the program is vital for maximum benefit in the healing and recovery process. If you want to attend this group format, please email me at [email protected] to share your interest with me.

How long should you wait after a loss to begin to recover?

Grieving people need and want to feel heard; thus, effective recovery can begin almost immediately.

We tend to create larger-than-life memory pictures in which we either enshrine or bedevil the person who died or the person from whom we are now divorced, estranged, or some other circumstance. This phenomenon enhances with time, increasing the challenge to locate the truth within our relationships.

You know the saying that “time heals all wounds”. That saying creates the idea that you just have to wait for time to pass in order to feel better. Time does not heal; you just learn to mask your emotional pain. While time may not heal, what you do within time does. Thus, it is never too soon to begin your grief healing journey.

Common misconceptions about grief

The Grief Institute has identified the main six myths about grief that harm people in their recovery from loss. Most people recognize their influence upon them. As you read the list, consider whether you have found them to be helpful on your healing journey.

Myth #1: Don’t Feel Bad

Even though grief and all of the emotions associated with it are normal and natural, we are constantly told explicitly and implicitly to not feel the way we feel. Feeling bad is a normal response to loss and it is important that we give ourselves permission to feel the full range of our emotions without the need to cover them up or bury them. It is perfectly okay to feel bad about any loss you have experienced.

Myth #2: Replace The Loss

Relationships with our family members, spouses, children, friends, and even our beloved pets are not replaceable or interchangeable. Every relationship is unique. Getting remarried, having another child, making new friends, or buying a new pet will not take away the pain of your loss. You need to give yourself space to grieve and complete the relationship that ended, to allow yourself to move forward in the a healthy way.

Myth #3: Grieve Alone

Many grieving people tend to isolate themselves due to the false idea that “you don’t want to burden others with your feelings.” When we have good news, we naturally want to share it with people who love us. The same is true when we receive bad news; we yearn to tell someone. Speaking honestly and openly about how you are feeling is one of the best things you can do for yourself when you’re grieving.

Myth #4: Time Heals All Wounds

This is arguably the most insidious myth. After a loss we are often told, “it just takes time” or “time will heal”. These statements give us the false illusion  and hope that if we wait patiently, we will eventually feel better. We have worked with people who have waited decades for their pain to go away and their wound is cut deep. The truth is, time will not heal your emotional pain; it is the actions that you take that bring healing.

Myth #5: Be Strong For Others

When we’re grieving, we have learned to hide our painful emotions, with the hope that it will strengthen those around us. Unfortunately, what acting strong really does is teach others to hide their feelings to convey a false sense of strength. Over time, this saps their long-term resilience. The most helpful thing you can do for others is to be authentic about your emotions. Telling the truth about how you feel helps others feel safe to do the same.

Myth #6: Keep Busy

After a loss, many of us have been encouraged to “just keep busy”. This myth ties in with “time heals all wounds.” The idea is, if we can distract ourselves day after day, week after week, month after month, time will heal our pain. This often leads to physical and emotional exhaustion. Busyness only helps you avoid your grief until it becomes too much to bear. To truly heal from loss, you must be willing to face your pain and take steps that will empower you to heal from it.

Take the next step in your healing journey today.

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