Grief and Loss Treatment
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This document discusses grief and loss, including defining grief, conceptualizing the stages of grief, and reviewing activities to help people grieve. It outlines objectives, the stages of grief including denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. It also discusses factors that can exacerbate or mitigate grief, and the impact of unresolved grief. Self-care strategies and activities to help with grieving are provided.
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Grief and Loss Treatment
- 1. Journey to Recovery Series Grief and Loss Activities Presented by: Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes Executive Director, AllCEUs AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs and Specialty Certifications $59 1
- 2. Objectives Define grief Conceptualize grief in terms of any loss Identify how failure to deal with grief can impact a person Explore the stages of grief Review activities and interventions to help people grieve AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs and Specialty Certifications $59 2
- 3. Question What types of things have people lost that need to be grieved? AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs and Specialty Certifications $59 3
- 4. What is Grief Grief is a label assigned to all of the emotions associated with dealing with any kind of loss Physical (Things, abilities, freedoms) Self-concept (Roles, values, labels) Worldview (Innocence, safety) Dreams (How things should be) Social (Loss of relationships…) AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs and Specialty Certifications $59 4
- 5. What is Grief Primary losses also produce secondary losses which also need to be acknowledged and grieved. Loss of a part of ourselves Loss of identity Loss of self confidence Loss of a chosen lifestyle Loss of security or a sense of safety Loss of dreams AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs and Specialty Certifications $59 5
- 6. What is Grief What secondary losses might occur for these events? Death of a parent Separation or divorce Miscarriages Disability Chronic pain (fibro, rheumatoid arthritis) Diabetes/Chron’s Loss of a job Moving to a new place A child leaving home House fire/tornado AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs and Specialty Certifications $59 6 Loss of a part of ourselves Loss of identity Loss of self confidence Loss of a chosen lifestyle Loss of security or a sense of safety Loss of dreams
- 7. Types of Grief Anticipatory Grief: Experiencing anticipatory grief may provide time for the preparation of loss, acceptance of loss, the ability to finish unfinished business, life review and resolve conflicts Normal Grief: Normal feelings, reactions and behaviors to a loss; grief reactions can be physical, psychological, cognitive, behavioral Complicated Grief: Chronic Grief: Normal grief reactions that do not subside and continue over very long periods of time Delayed Grief: Normal grief reactions that are suppressed or postponed. The survivor consciously of unconsciously avoids the pain of the loss. Masked Grief: Survivor is not aware that behaviors that interfere with normal functioning are a result of the loss. Disenfranchised Grief: The grief encountered when a loss is experienced and cannot be openly acknowledged, socially sanctioned or publicly shared. AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs and Specialty Certifications $59 7
- 8. Stages of Grief Denial: Numbness, dream, alternate explanations) Anger: The unknown, loss of control, death, isolation, failure—(shouldas and couldas) Bargaining: If I … then I will wake up and realize this was only a really bad dream Depression: Helpless, hopeless Acceptance: Radical acceptance that the loss occurred and determining how to proceed from there AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs and Specialty Certifications $59 8
- 9. Exacerbating & Mitigating factors How people react in a crisis depends upon 6 factors How close the situation was to them (physical and emotional proximity) How many other stressors them experienced in the last year Mental health issues/Effective coping skills Social supports Understanding of the loss (meaning and cognitively) How much control/responsibility they feel like they had in the situation AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs and Specialty Certifications $59 9
- 10. Impact of Unresolved Grief Most people get stuck in either anger or depression Anger (shoulda, couldas and if onlys) At self At others At higher power Depression (Hopelessness, Helplessness—I don’t now how to go on) At self At others At higher power AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs and Specialty Certifications $59 10
- 11. Denial Denial, numbing is the mind’s way of protecting people from what lies ahead. Facing the loss Understand the events of their lives and reconcile the losses they have experienced (clarification) What happened to me? Anger is the power play Break down the walls (Bricks or legos with the losses and threats represented) Bargaining, Pining Mindfulness AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs and Specialty Certifications $59 11
- 12. Depression Depression, Disorganization and Despair Address hopelessness and helplessness by focusing on what can be changed Death Disappearance Loss Nothing will ever be okay again Failure Failure at everything Bad thing happens It has to happen again AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs and Specialty Certifications $59 12
- 13. Acceptance Acceptance/Reorganization Redefine worldview integrating new experiences and strengths Visualize a positive future Who am I? (identity) Where am I going? (attachment) How will I get there? (relationships) When will I know I belong? (claiming and safety) AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs and Specialty Certifications $59 13
- 14. Not a Linear Process Most people experience grief surrounding a loss for at least a year. (Timeline) Holidays Anniversaries Reminders (people, places, things, media) Many people will vacillate between depression and anger. (Mindfulness, Emergency plan) Normalize people’s experiences Encourage them to reach out to supports Address happiness and survivor guilt AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs and Specialty Certifications $59 14
- 15. Self Care for Grief Emotionally Express feelings Ask for and accept help Don’t let anyone tell you how to feel—and don’t tell yourself how you “should” feel Be patient Be kind to yourself Add happiness triggers Be aware of your grief triggers Embrace the dialectic It is gone but I have the memories/what I learned I cannot change it but I can impact how it continues to impact me AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs and Specialty Certifications $59 15
- 16. Self Care for Grief Physically Get plenty of quality rest How to handle being alone with your thoughts…. Exercise Eat a healthy diet Avoid alcohol Pay attention to persistent changes in eating, sleeping, mood or energy levels AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs and Specialty Certifications $59 16
- 17. Self Care for Grief Psychologically Write things down Simplify Set short term goals Distract/engage in pleasurable activities Start writing the next chapter in your story Plan ahead for grief triggers AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs and Specialty Certifications $59 17
- 18. Self-Care for Grief Interpersonally Rebuild relationships (even understand they can be members of more than one family) AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs and Specialty Certifications $59 18
- 19. Bill of Rights for Grief To know the truth about the loss To have questions answered honestly To need people and be heard with dignity and respect To be silent and not talk about grief emotions and thoughts. To talk about the loss as much as needed To not agree with your perceptions and conclusions To see the person who died and the place of the death. To grieve any way she/he wants without hurting self or others. To feel all the feelings and to think all the thoughts of his/her own unique grief. To not have to follow the “stages of grief” as outlined in a book. To grieve in one’s own unique, individual way without censorship. To be angry at death, at the person who died, at god, at self, and at others. To have “griefbursts” To be involved in the decisions about the rituals related to the loss To not be taken advantage of To have guilt about what he/she could have done or shouldn’t have done AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs and Specialty Certifications $59 19
- 20. Activities Create safety Invisible string (Windchime (heart, shells, keys, pipes, terra cotta pots ) Book of memories Heart-Break Pot (break into large pieces) Using paint pens and markers, have each family member or child write on the inside of the broken pieces. Instruct them to identify their feelings about being alone in their grief. On the outside of the pieces write about or draw their sources of support. Glue back together AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs and Specialty Certifications $59 20
- 21. Activities Goodbye letter Letter to God Memory garden Jar of memories / regrets Memory mural Timeline of Change 2 Box Organization – Keep it or Trash it Create a family flag Alphabet of gratitude Raise and release butterflies AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs and Specialty Certifications $59 21
- 22. Activities Jenga (write discussion prompts on cards) What is your favorite memory What is the hardest part of the loss What is something you learned What is something you did to make yourself laugh this week Who is your support What are 2 things that help you most right now The hardest time of day is… When I am alone, I can… Some things I enjoy Changes in my family because of the loss I am feeling… 3 ways to release feelings of sadness AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs and Specialty Certifications $59 22
- 23. Summary Losses encompass more than death or a person or loss of property Failure to acknowledge losses can cause unhelpful reactions in similar future situations It is important to explore feelings and reactions in terms of their functionality---how are they benefitting the person It takes at least a year to deal with significant losses Many times there are multiple ancillary losses that need to be addressed AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs and Specialty Certifications $59 23
- 24. Summary How people deal with grief and loss varies widely. Grieving is a form of crisis The body is on high alert which likely impacts sleep, eating and energy to work or socialize Minimizing vulnerabilities is important to reduce unnecessary frustration and avoid confirming helplessness Ultimately it is hoped that the person can identify how they are stronger or better off from the experience AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs and Specialty Certifications $59 24