So many times when individuals grieve, they are not given the appropriate time, response or care. The rule of thirds dictates that only 1/3rd of the people in one’s life will respond emotionally to one’s loss needs. Even those who care can sometimes say the wrong thing. It is important when helping the bereaved to say what helps heals instead of further hurting the person. Many well intentioned individuals can say the wrong thing at the wrong time and make the grief worst for the bereaved. Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Certification
The article, “The Grief You Give: A guide for what to say in the wake of loss: Words for when “sorry for your loss” isn’t enough.” from Scalawag Editors looks at somethings that usually should not be said and what one can do better. The editors list some common cliches.
“Grief can be downright awkward. There’s a certain pressure to find the right words to say. It’s common to default to apologizing. We blurt out sorry for your loss, scribble it into Hallmark cards, and paste it under social media posts, punctuated with a prayer hands emoji. We center ourselves even if we don’t mean to. What are you sorry for anyway? Over the last several months, we’ve asked you, our people, to share the words and gestures that have proven helpful after a loss; which ones hurt more than they heal? From those responses, we’ve created this condolences guide to parse through perspectives on how we care and show up for one another—even when we get it wrong. Accountability is an act of love.”
To read the entire article, please click here
Saying the wrong thing can obviously be a big mistake. Looking at the above cliches and making sure one does not follow the same mistakes is critical to helping a bereaved friend.
Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Certification and see if it matches your academic and professional goals. The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification as a Grief Counselor.