More recently, I find myself drawn to the subject of Grief and Loss in the many conversations I have with younger and older people. Some of the losses that people experience include
*A ’living loss’ that reflects parents' distancing from the hopes and dreams for their young adult with a disability, particularly as they navigate transition from secondary to tertiary education and/or work. Typically, a mother is concerned about who will care for their adult child as they get older, and how will they learn the skills to live and not engage in risky behaviours. We might talk about different hopes and dreams in that disability where a young child doesn’t have to conform. Imagine the possibilities as a young person blends hip hop and classical music!
*Death of a family member or friend. Sometimes that death might mean the realisation that a particular generation is gone, and that ‘you’ are now the next person or next generation. Suddenly the limits of one’s mortality is real and present. We might talk about possibilities beyond the family death such as how to live the best life even as one is ageing, or even study or new work options. So many possibilities in a courageous conversation.
Grief is not restricted to death of a person. It can include losses associated with a diagnosis of illness, loss of job, breakdown in relationships, loss of community due to inter or intra movement for work or family reasons, climate change, impacts of Covid-19 and so on.
Grief affects a person in many different ways: socially (isolation), physically (weight loss), physiologically (nausea), psychologically (shock) or spiritually (yearning or searching for meaning).
You don't have to be alone in your grief experience or your grief journey. You can talk to someone who is skilled, someone committed to ongoing learning. Feel free to contact me.
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