It's that oh so painful emotion of grief - we all know this one, even if we haven't identified it by name. Dennis and Tina get into it by recognising the many ways that grief can show up in our lives - it's not just about someone dying...who knew! Dennis tells us how the japanese have  emotional and poetic words for feelings that we don't even recognise or have words for in more western languages. 

They discuss how solitary grief feels, through it's very nature we feel like our pain of grief is so isolating and unique to us and how it feels difficult to reach out to others in the midst of our grief, even though it's very beneficial...especially if we don't have pressure to explain it or express it in a particular way. 

They look at in more detail in when grief shows up - feelings of loss of identity or sense of your future, feelings of emptiness or despair. Dennis describes one model of the "wave" of grief and yet that grief is actually non-linear. They talk about how grief doesn't need to be something you let go of, it can be something that you find a way to live alongside, and they go further to notice that one grief can bring up old grief that hasn't been acknowledged or given space yet still lives within us. 

Dennis and Tina share their personal experiences of grief, which can partner with relief, recognition of grief suppression, needing a safe container for grief and the interesting bodily expressions when we feel safe enough to allow grief to come through and how grief can hide deeply within us.

They discuss the social and cultural norms around grief and loss, like holding it in, wailing it out, or encasing it or expressing it in black clothing. 

They mention the Kübler Ross 5 Stages of Grief, and it's helpful edges as well as it's limitations, and the more modern way of understanding grief. Dennis notices how feelings of aloneness can be triggered by grief and loss, and yet gives us the gift of opportunity to integrate the reality that part of life is being alone. 

Tina dives a bit into the grief that is associated with health challenges, from the loss of stability of health through to chronic illness where grief penetrates the past, the present and the future. She talks about hers and others experience where grief is often not recognised in chronic illness, or it's expected to come and then "you get over it" and it's not like that - it comes up time and again, and that's ok. 

They of course go on to explore some helpful somatic and bodily approaches to grief and how to meet it and support it. They summarise about some of the ways that developmental trauma and medical trauma can bring grief and then they get to the listener question! 

For more information, coaching or to ask a listener question please go to:

www.omnamo.nl  or email Dennis at [email protected] 

www.tinaclarkewellness.com  or email Tina at [email protected]