In 2006, I lost Austin. The grief from his loss was beyond belief. I could not breathe and there were days when I didn’t get out of bed. I did not think that I would ever live again.

 

The Erica from that day is forever gone.  I am not sure who she was and now as I think about that day, I know that I am a stronger, funnier, and yes sometimes sadder version of her.

 

So many people kept telling me to just give it time. But this was not helpful for me. How much time? WOULD giving it time help? I remember hearing that one never gets over the death of one’s child. I was starting to believe that was true. I thought my life would be like this forever....

 

The truth is that the Erica from June 17, 2006, we will never see her again.  I not only had to do my grief work I also have done the much-needed work on the old Erica.   You hear Sharon and I say all the time that there are layers to grief.  Losing who you once were is a layer of loss my friend.  All layers of the grief pain and loss must be grieved for true healing.

 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hope.heal.recover

 

 

The key to healing from emotional wounds is to be

able to release the pain from those wounds.

The number one way to do this is to call it by

its correct name.  Grief

 

1. When you’re hurt, your body responds by

producing hormones and neurotransmitters

which affect your emotions.  ~ Your heart hurts.

 

1. The tendency is to keep thinking about what

happened to you. This causes your brain to

produce more hormones and neurotransmitters,

resulting in greater anxiety and depression.

 

1. The emotions which resulted from what

happened also continue the cycle.

 

To stop this cycle, you’ll need to access your inner

power, release the past, and form your new future.

moving forward.

 

There isn't a person in the world who hasn't been

hurt by someone. Releasing the pain from these

wounds are difficult for many, if not most.

Grief Healing Facebook Group

 

Funerals are not the only way to remember someone after they pass away. There’s a lot of alternatives these days- from memorial services and other creative expressions, all the way down to no funeral at all! The truth is there really any set rule for what you should do when it comes time plan your send off in life; so many different options exist just waiting on one person's preferences or ideas about how best commemorate their legacy.

The death of a loved one is always an emotional time for the whole family. There are no rules when it comes to planning their funeral, so you can choose whatever option suits your needs best - whether they were traditional in nature before their passing

What kind of ceremony would be fitting?  Some families prefer elaborate services with lots of honor guards and flowers while others may only want quiet prayers offered up by friends at graveside; still other folks might have something radical like sky burial where someone throws dirt onto them self-shot video rather than having any sort formalities whatsoever!

Hey, if you’ve been feeling down lately and need someone to talk too - our Facebook Support Group for women is open! We can help.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hope.heal.recover

When people experience the death of a loved one, they may feel that their world has come to an end. This can lead them into feelings such as anger and depression which are all very common in those going through grief though it's important not just for yourself but also other friends or family members who love you dearly when dealing with these tough moments

-It’s normal at times feeling angry because your whole life changed right before your eyes - Some might say "I'm coping well" however what this really means maybe more along lines.

The loss of a person does not give you the right to be mean. Human decency and respect for others still apply, even if it's difficult sometimes.

Hey, if you’ve been feeling down lately and need someone to talk too - our Facebook Support Group for women is open! We can help.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hope.heal.recover

No Pill Can Fix This

Grief can be uncomfortable, but it's important to remember that your grief is specific and personal. You might feel self-conscious or think you're not "doing it right" when there are no rules for how somebody should grieve - just as with any other life event! The best thing we could do during these moments of discomfort would probably lie on letting go so we don't get caught up worrying about what other people say instead thinking only about ourselves

Grief, like any other emotion is personal. We all have our own way of dealing with it and feeling uncomfortable in the process but there’s nothing wrong if you're not "doing" anything right because this feels incredibly authentic to who we are as individuals - even though sometimes hard for others around us (or ourselves)

Hey, if you’ve been feeling down lately and need someone to talk too - our Facebook Support Group for women is open! We can help.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hope.heal.recover

Dolores is a beautiful soul with an amazing story of grief and healing. Thank you friend for sharing your life with us. More importantly thank you for sharing your healing journey with us.  Join the sisters as they sit in awe with Dolores as she shares her beautiful healing grief journey.

www.BellaHW.org

Don’t you hate it when someone says, “I know how you feel” or you come across experts who haven’t met with you privately but are ready to diagnose or “fix” you and your grief. This ain’t that and that ain't this.

  The Gone Too Soon Virtual Retreat was designed to affirm you wherever you are in your grief journey - so you come to understand that YOU are the true expert when it comes to YOUR grief.   After surveying those that have had such a significant loss, most tend to struggle with things like: Finding the energy and the time to search what’s available and a good fit to support the unique needs they have Feeling the feelings, which are often so painful, you’d rather just box them up and pray they never find their way to the surface at the most inconvenient time   Feeling seen (not in the sense of a spotlight, but a sense of validation) - that people hear you and understand the love you still have for them is real and your feelings are complicated.   Being able to learn from grief specialists, mental health providers and industry leaders who offer resources and support is an opportunity that is hard to come by. And that's why this free event is just for YOU!   Over 5 days you'll hear from 20+ speakers about everything from the new diagnosis of prolonged grief disorder to actions you can take to sort through your thoughts, and hold on to those special memories. And it’s free! Get your free ticket at the link in my bio!

The Need:

Need — require (something) because it is essential or very important rather than just desirable.  The need feels like you will not make it through this pain if you do not have the desired object near you.

In grief there are things that we do because we need them as part of our healing process.  It is not uncommon for us to wear his favorite shirt for 30 days straight.  Because I need to feel his presence in my heart.

VS

The Want

Want — have a desire to possess or do (something); wish for.  I want this shirt.  I have found memories of him in this shirt.

Over time these needs even if they are strange to you. (i.e., not wanting to clean out their hairbrush) will slowly turn into wants.  I want to place his shirt under my pillow as it comforts me.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hope.heal.recover

What does your brain do when it's grieving? When you experience a traumatic loss, the part of our brains that handles emotions becomes active. This can affect how we think and process information; some people may find themselves overwhelmed with thoughts about what happened while others will be more focused on their feelings (and not remembering anything else).     Grief takes over your brain, altering how you think and feel. Your thoughts are filled with sadness or anger as well feelings of isolation from friends and family who have been unable to console during this difficult time - all while trying desperately hold onto what little hope remains for healing or even thinking that true healing may not be possible. https://www.facebook.com/groups/hope.heal.recover

In the beginning we can feel responsible for what has happened. 

My thoughts: “I should have been there.”

Now add on the fact that we do not know how to do this grieving thing. 

My Thoughts: “I don’t Know how to grieve.”

 

My friend these are your thoughts.  Trust me when I tell you that your thoughts are controlling this grieving process by sending you into areas of pain that you do not need to be hanging out in.

 

As humans, it is our privilege to think about what we are thinking about. We must learn that our thoughts, not our circumstances, create our feelings.

 

That our feelings are the most important thing to know and pay attention to. When we are willing to feel all the grieving feelings available to us as humans, we will move around in this grieving experience that is much less fearful and much more compassionate.

As we are willing to pay attention, we will discover the power we all have. That power starts with our thoughts and ends with our results. ~ True healing.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hope.heal.recover