Health & Wellness
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SHIFT HAPPENS Coping with Loss and Grief through Hypnotherapy ANDREA WAGEMAKER
THERE ARE MANY
forms of grief, but while grief is
usually associated with death, it can come with any type
There is no set time. In all cases, it is important to cope with grief actively and not ignore it.
of loss. The more unexpected it is, the more fear it creates as we feel increasingly powerless and helpless.
A variety of emotions are often experienced when we are in grief such as:
The grief associated with the loss of a someone we loved
•
Being in shock
tends to be the most powerful grief we experience. It can
•
Feeling sad
be helpful to know that grief can occur with any loss we
•
Feeling angry
go through in life. We all go through stages of grief when
•
Feeling lonely, guilty or helpless
we have a relationship breakup, losing our job, health, fi-
•
Fear and anxiety.
nances or losing an asset of a sentimental value, such as
•
Feeling alone or that we won’t be able to cope are
family home or death of a pet. Grief can come on even
normal reactions.
before death, such as having a family member suffering from a serious illness.
When someone close to you passes away, you may not have the opportunity to process your grief properly. You
Grief is a normal and natural response to loss, and all the
may feel overwhelmed and unable to concentrate; you
above losses can create a lot of pain and suffering. People
may have to push through your day as you go to work;
can grieve very differently. It is an individualized journey
you may even feel numb and empty.
that can paralyze some and others might feel better after a few weeks, while others might need years to feel better. 2 2 | C O M PA S S M A G A Z I N E | I s s u e 3 9
It is true that people deal with grief differently. However, W W W. C O M PA S S M A G A Z I N E . C A
