Feeling alone is one of the most challenging parts of grieving. However, denying, ignoring, or repressing emotions can be unhealthy for one’s well-being. Someone can express repressed feelings through anger, guilt, and depression. These emotions can create barriers that can impede healing your heart and risk loving again and moving forward.
Sometimes we feel angry after losing someone or something dear to us. We can be mad because we feel cheated, abandoned, and responsible. However, when anger is bottled up and turned inward, it can become self-blame.
Guilt can develop when we fixate on our mistakes, on decisions in the past that were not the best, or on things we could have done. However, denying our feelings means not facing the reality of our loss and the opportunity to begin healing.
We can become depressed if we do not allow ourselves to grieve. Recovery from grief is finding ways to take risks while in life again and finding the strength to continue even when we feel pain. When depression sets in, daily activities become difficult. Lack of appetite or filling the void with food, sleeping or insomnia, and isolating oneself are indicators of a serious issue. In addition, these disturbances can cause physiological functions to fail, creating a secondary set of problems.
When does one turn to professional help for our grief? There are several flags to be aware of. First, if your depression interferes with daily activities such as eating, sleeping and working become challenging to maintain. If you become disinterested in social activities, stop reaching out to others, begin to isolate yourself, or perceive yourself as a burden. Finally, if several months have passed without one good occasion, it may be time to seek out counsel.
Joining a support group is one way to express yourself and begin the road to recovery. Healthy coping skills include setting realistic expectations of yourself, finding a way to honor your grief and feelings through expression, and knowing that it’s okay to laugh and feel good during grief. In addition, focusing on the present, connecting to your inner spirit, and allowing yourself time to grieve the way you are most comfortable will begin the healing process.
Into the Depths of Grief Workshop
Sometimes we feel anger after we have lost someone or something dear to us. We can be angry because we feel cheated, abandoned, and responsible. When anger is kept bottled up and turned inward, it can become self-blame.
Guilt can be felt when we fixate on our mistakes, on decisions in the past that were not the best, or on things we could have done. In denying our feelings we are not facing the reality of our loss and the opportunity to begin healing.
We can become depressed if we do not allow ourselves to grieve. Recovery from grief is finding ways to risks while in life again, and finding the strength to continue on even when we feel pain. When depression sets in, daily activities become difficult.
Into the Depths of Grief is a 6-week Program where participants will explore how they express their grief in different emotions/stages using creative expression.
Feeling alone is one of the toughest parts of grieving. Denying ignoring or repressing emotions can be very dangerous for one’s well-being. Repressed feelings can be expressed through anger, guilt, and depression. These emotions can create barriers to can impede healing your heart, risk loving again, and moving forward.
Session 1 How does your Anger manifest and how is it expressed?
Anger can manifest in our thoughts, in our bodies, and in our actions. By denying yourself to be angry, you can risk physiological complications such as sleeplessness, eating problems, and weight loss/gain. Intrusive thoughts can cause a lack of self-esteem, isolation, and negative behaviors that can be harmful to ourselves and others we love.
Session 2 Are you in Denial and what does that mean?
It can be very hard to acknowledge your loss or impending loss as final. We will fight to keep everything the way we want it. When we deny an event, we hamper any healthy decisions to move forward.
Session 3 If I can have one more day, hug, moment I would… Bargaining.
If only we could barter for those last moments before a loss or the ability to have a redo and say everything perfectly. Bargaining can be a means to express what you are going to or have lost. When we begin to put too much emphasis on bargaining, we create a barrier to reaching acceptance.
Session 4 Depression, the downward spiral into grief.
Depression is a normal reaction to a loss. In order to have loved greatly, the pain will be equally as great in the initial loss. When depression begins to interrupt daily aspects of living such as eating, sleeping, working, and socializing, professional help can be necessary.
Session 5 Is Acceptance possible, can I really begin to live again?
Although it may not seem possible at first, it is possible to live again after your loss. It may begin with appreciating a nice day or seeing something that makes you smile. Preparing for your healing is important so that when it begins to happen, a feeling of guilt, shame or unworthiness doesn’t creep in.
Session 6 The day-to-day Sorrows of life after a loss
How do I cope when I suddenly remember my heartache and feel that ache due to daily activities? Learning how to honor our loss during those moments, is key to healthy coping with the pain.
The above photos were made by individuals on their grief journey at an art therapy grief workshop.