Grief: The Western model defines this human emotion as either normal or complicated and says that grief should move through some observable stages over the course of a year:
• Accepting the reality of your loss
• Allowing yourself to experience the pain of your loss
• Adjusting to a new reality in which the deceased is no longer present
• Having other relationships
Symptoms of what the western model defines as "normal" grief may include: anger, depression, sadness, crying, sleep issues, decreased appetite, feelings of overwhelm, and loneliness. If these symptoms continue to linger or worsen past one year and interfere with the person’s ability to function in daily life, it may be "diagnosed" as complicated grief. Some symptoms of complicated grief may include: numbness, detachment, rumination, intense sorrow, inability to accept the death, lack of trust, isolation.
But you and I will grieve differently. After my Golden Retriever Therapy dog Baxter died suddenly, I experienced intense grief. Some told me it was silly. He was only a dog. But he wasn't. He was a huge part of my life and he helped so many people through his therapy work. I wondered why God let him die and I still think of him and miss him often. Will you belittle my grief of a broken heart and loss. It is just different grief. But it is still grief. When a spouse, child, friend, partner or family pass, the grief can be intense and long lasting. And when it continues on for longer than other people think it should, a person may feel guilt or have thoughts of "why can I not move on?" "What is wrong with me?"
Whom do you seek out?
Sometimes when I am asked what a Yoga Therapist does it can be challenging to define. But early in my studies I found the Yoga Sutras (the ancient texts), state that Yoga therapy is about easing suffering for people.
I love that. A simple life goal. :)
Yoga Therapists have a respect and knowledge of yoga teachings AND an interest in western science and medicine. Yoga therapy combines Ayurveda and yogic sciences with western knowledge of the breath, anatomy and pathology into a holistic system.
It is all about people, not conditions or definitions.
And in Yoga Therapy we do not diagnose. We help ease suffering, however that looks for you. Grief is only one of the sufferings I help people with.
Yoga therapy aims to address the physical, mental, and emotional needs of an individual through a system that helps me identify various imbalances in a person and I then offer techniques to bring those aspects into balance. Yoga therapy is useful for many different areas, ranging from physical pain to mental health conditions. It can be used as treatment method for a plethora of conditions, including (but not limited to): Physical Conditions: Back pain, Shoulder injuries, Diabetes, High blood pressure, Asthma, COPD, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer's disease, Brain injuries, Autoimmune disorders, Multiple Sclerosis, Heart Disease and Obesity. Mental Health Conditions: Anxiety disorders, PTSD, Insomnia, Depression, Addiction, ADHD, Eating Disorders, Postpartum depression. Whew! That's a lot! But my training encompasses it all.
So for a client experiencing grief I may focus on easing the suffering of the racing thoughts with Centering Prayer, teaching you simple meditations, or through the practices of Yoga Nidra; the fatigue that accompanies grief through focused breathwork and moving the body specific to your constitution (an Ayurveda principle); the anxiety or depression and the physical pain that is felt in the body from grief through focused yoga practices and establishing rituals.
Please don't suffer alone. Consultations are always free. Sending love and healing! ❣🙏🧘♀️