Wellness Council addresses grief, the grieving process

The Wellness Council met on Thursday, Nov. 14th in the Colorado County Courthouse with a focus on Grief and the Grieving Process.

We had a very informative and thought-provoking presentation from Dr. Vernon Johnson, Psychiatrist with Amen Clinic/ Dallas and Community Relations Director Lisa Marie Shaughnessy.

Dr. Johnson explained how grief can be experienced during more than just the loss of a friend or loved one. We may also experience grief because of a divorce, loss of a job, natural disaster or catastrophic events like losing a home in a fire or even retiring.

We may find ourselves grieving during any big life change. Grief can affect us personally, and it can affect a family and even an entire community.

Dr. Johnson emphasized why it is so important to allow and acknowledge the emotions we are experiencing and recognize that no two people will grieve the same way or follow the same timeline.

Dr. Johnson explained that children and teens, who experience a loss, may grieve based on where they are at that time developmentally and may revisit or process aspects of a loss again as they mature.

He spoke about the various forms of grief and how the circumstances of each of these situations affect how we process grief, how long it may go on, what types of emotions may be involved and who may play a role in the process.

Some of these forms of grief are Anticipatory, Abbreviated, Delayed, Inhibited, Cumulative, Collective, Complicated and Disenfranchised Grief. Sometimes we grieve for a long period, over time, as with terminal illnesses or dementia and in other cases we may delay our grief because of catastrophic events that first force us into a survival mode.

Sometimes we may find ourselves grieving multiple losses at once or on a community level. Regardless of the loss, we need to pay attention to our emotions and seek help with symptoms that disrupt our daily lives. Taking care of ourselves is important when grieving.

Dr. Johnson gave us some basic phrases to recognize during the Grief Process using the word “GRIEF”: “ G” represents “Grasp” reminding us to grasp the situation and acknowledge what we lost.

“R” represents “Relationships” reminding us to process our feelings about the relationship we had with that person or circumstance, and to recognize the good as well as imperfect memories.

“I” represents “Insanity” and reminds us to seek help with symptoms of grief that become overwhelming.

“E” represents “Emotions” reminding us to give ourselves the permission to feel what we feel even when we feel it.

Finally, “F” for “Future”. We are reminded to think about what comes next. Creating a plan to move forward empowers us emotionally.

The Amen Clinics use an innovative brain-body approach to diagnose and treat a wide array of emotional, behavioral, learning, cognitive and weight issues for children, teenagers and adults.

The Amen clinic is a leader in the use of Brain SPECT Imaging to more accurately diagnose and treat a patient’s needs. For more information on their approach and services go to: www.amenclinics.com or 949-371-6811.

We also had representatives present who highl ighted the resources available locally and in Houston.

We have 2 local groups. Grief Support Group led by Peggy Geisler meets every 3rd Thursday in the Library at St. Paul Lutheran Church (201 Veterans Drive, Columbus, from 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Call 979-732-2423 for more information.

Morning after Mourning Group (non-faith based) led by Leah King meets at the Nesbitt Memorial Library every 4th Wednesday at 10:30 a.m.

Available to the greater Houston area is Bo’s Place which was founded to give bereaved children, families and adults a place to express their thoughts and feelings with others on a similar journey.

Their location is in Houston and both English and Spanish is spoken. Support is available in person and through online groups.

For more information: www.bosplace.org, email: [email protected] or call 713-942-8339, Executive Director is Jennifer Boubel.

The Wellness Council will take a break for the month of December. Our next monthly meeting will be January 9th at 12pm at the Colorado County Courthouse, Columbus Texas in the first-f loor courtroom.

We will be looking at the Public Health Crisis of Teen Vaping. Our meetings are open to the public and all are welcome join us.

We provide a ZOOM option to anyone who is unable to attend in person. Emai l nancywi lliams1291@ gmail.com to request an invite with the ZOOM link. A full copy of the PowerPoint presentation will also be provided after the meeting.