Grief Counseling Blog

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Sandy Hook dad talks about 911 tapes – CNN.com Video

Posted on by Dominick Flarey
American Institute Health Care Professionals’ insight:

A sad video about the loss of the families at Sandyhook.  The videos in order talk about the pain of individual parents, the needs they have and the disturbing 911 call.

Compounded with the holidays, the approaching anniversary of the shooting, and the traumatic loss itself, these parents are facing a grief nightmare that no-one can imagine.

The best thing according to grief counselors is for them to talk and for others to listen.

One particular sad moment is how the father of one of the victims, has left the Christmas tree up all year, which was to be decorated the weekend after the shooting took place.  The grief has paralyzed him from decorating the tree.  One can only imagine the pain and suffering and our prayers go out to him and these families.

If you would like to learn how to become a grief counselor then please review our program.  The grief counseling program consists of four core courses.  After completion of those four courses, qualified professionals can become a grief counselor.

After three years, the grief counselor must recertify if he or she wishes to continue.  Recertification requires five hundred hours of grief counseling related work and fifty hours of continuing education in grief counseling.

#becomingagriefcounselor

See on www.cnn.com

Sandy Hook: Finding Gratitude, Even in Grief

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

The article, “Sandy Hook: Finding Gratitude, Even in Grief”, by Miranda Pacchiana states

“I will let my thoughts turn to friends, neighbors and all of those who are hurting and impacted by grave loss. I will consider the strength and trust that so many of them have shown.”

American Institute Health Care Professionals’ insight:

This article is sad and a sign of grief support.  The families of SandyHook no doubt suffered greatly on Thanksgiving, but many were also able to find happiness and love of the support and new friends they have found since the shooting.

Being able to find gratitude and some sort of happiness is critical in grief support.  Of course, every Thanksgiving or Holiday will bring tears, but being able to live in the present is key to avoiding pathological and self destructive grief

Grief counselors should always look for healthy healing in their patients.  Signs of gratitude and happiness amidst pain, is a good sign, their patients are healing.

If you are interested in learning more about grief counseling or would like to learn how to become a grief counselor, then please review our site.  Qualified professionals who take the four core courses in grief can become a  certified grief counselor.

The certification in Grief Counseling lasts three years and is renewable.  During the three years the grief counselor must practice five hundred hours and earn fifty hours of education credit in the field of grief.

Thank you for your interest in our blog and if you have any other questions please let us know.

See on www.huffingtonpost.com

Certified in Grief Counseling: The Grief My Son Does Not Deserve

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

The article, “Getting Past the Grief Over a Child With Special Needs”, by Ellen Seidman states

“Max’s 11th birthday is coming up. My 11th anniversary as a mom is coming up. His birth will never be a happy event for me, yet why does it have to still hurt so much?”

American Institute Health Care Professionals’ insight:

Certified in Grief Counseling

One of the most courageous acts of a parent is caring for a special need child.  it is an act of love but also a cross.  You realize your child will never have a normal life but you nonetheless cherish the life the child does have.

You sacrifice and move on, but for many an underlying grief can remain that needs to be healed.  This article is about that grief that exists for the parents of children with special needs.

If you have any interests in grief counseling, then please review the program.  Those who become certified in grief counseling, will take four core courses in grief.  After completion of these courses, qualified professionals can become certified in grief counseling.

Those certified in grief counseling remain so for three years until renewal.  Those who wish to continue being certified must practice over five hundred hours of grief service and accumulate fifty hours of grief counseling education.

#griefcounselingonlineprogram

See on www.huffingtonpost.com

Certification in Grief Counseling: A Case for Watching Time of Death

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

The article, “A Case for Watching Time of Death”, by Rev. Dr. Martha R. Jacobs

“We don’t always have the luxury of being able to manage our death, but there are options other than aggressive treatment that may be more appropriate for us — depending on whether quality of life or quantity of life is more important to us.”

American Institute Health Care Professionals’ insight:

Certification in Grief Counseling

This is a good blog to remind people of the importance of not avoiding the topic of death with our loved ones.  These are themes and questions that cannot be answered after they are gone and in some cases, not comfortable conversation when the person is sick or terminally ill.

A healthy respect for death teaches us that we live today and should do what is needed.  Grief counselors encourage a healthy discussion of death among family members.  When we have a morbid phobia of death, it can cause problems later.

The blogger encourages people to watch “Time Of Death”, a documentary about this subject to help open up people and their eyes to the reality of death for themselves and their loved ones.

If you would like to take grief counseling courses, then please review the site and blog.  Overall, there are four courses in the grief counseling program.  After completion of those courses, a qualified professional is eligible for certification in grief counseling. If you have any questions, please let us know.

#wanttotakegriefcounselingclasses

See on www.huffingtonpost.com

Grief Counseling Program Book Review: Love Beyond Rainbows, Grandpa Has Cancer

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Grief Counseling Program for Children

The Grief Counseling Program for children and their grief is a specialty we offer at the Academy for grief counselors who wish to specialize and help children face grief.  How many times do we see children and their grief overlooked or marginalized.  Children, while not as mentally developed, need their grief addressed in proportion to their understanding of the situation.  They must be heard and allowed to grieve as well, if we hope to prevent future complications.

One tool to help Child Grief Counselors deal with the pain of children are books.  Gayle Jeanine Haven’s book, entitled, “Love Beyond the Rainbows, Grandpa Has Cancer” is an excellent tool for children to relate and understand the pain they are experiencing with the potential loss of a grandparent.

The story revolves around a little boy and his relationship with his grandfather. Throughout the story, the little boy learns to adapt to the needs of his grandfather.  The things they once did are now replaced with him being involved in care and conversation with his grandfather.  One example from the story is how the little boy accompanied grandpa to the hospital for treatments.  He brings a book to read as does his grandfather.  Time is still spent but in a different way.

The boy understands the reality that his grandfather will die but is allowed to share in the final days and in a healthy way to express his grief and pain.   In the end, he is told by his grandfather that they will meet again one day over the rainbow.

This is an excellent book for little children experiencing the painful reality of losing a grandparent.  It is also a good tool for child grief counselors to utilize during sessions with children experiencing the pain of a terminally ill relative.

 

If you are interested, please look this book up.  Also if you have any interest in becoming a grief counselor or have any interest in our Grief Counseling Program, then please review it

Mark Moran, MA

 

Providing Care to Bereaved Parents During Infant and Child Death Awareness Month

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

The article,”Providing Care to Bereaved Parents During Infant and Child Death Awareness Month”, by Rev. Sue Wintz states

“We all have the opportunity during October and November to provide much-needed care to bereaved parents and family members. Being aware of the potential impact of “forever grief” is the first important step.”

American Institute Health Care Professionals’ insight:

This is an excellent article for Grief Counselors.  It reminds us that October and November are national months in remembering the loss of children and the grief of parents.

It also reminds us the many trajectories of the grief and how different people cope.  The feeling of emptiness, then to the feeling of yearning and common themes of grieving parents, even years after the loss.

As a grief counselor, the article reminds us that we should engage the parents about their child.  It is healthy for the parent to wish for the child to be remembered.  While they do this on a consistent basis via memorial, or objects, or spiritual prayer, it is also healthy for the counselor to say the child’s name during sessions and share in the memories.

It is also encouraged for counselor and patient to both partake in events that remember the loss of children.

One last and important element is to remember your clients during special anniversaries.  These days will definitely affect the parents and their grief

If you want to become a certified grief counselor, please review our program. In the meantime, feel free to browse our blog

#needgriefcounselingtraining

See on www.huffingtonpost.com

Day of the Dead tradition offers natural way to view death

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

The article, “Day of the Dead tradition offers natural way to view death”, by Liz DeCarlo states

“A lesson from Mexico. The Day of the Dead exhibit at the National Museum of Mexican Art helps families explore the subject of death in a healthy, less fearful way.”

American Institute Health Care Professionals’ insight:

The Day of the Dead in Mexico in all reality ironically celebrates life.  It has an understanding that life exists after death and that we should honor the dead and their new existence.

It also makes others outside of the country focus more on death.  It forces, those of another culture, to re-think about their own existence and to examine their own existence.

Death is inevitable and it is time the American culture stop considering it a taboo subject but discuss it openly and honestly.  This is what Elisabeth Kubler Ross advocated years before and it is what needs to be done now.

If you are interested in taking courses in grief counseling or wish to become certified in grief counseling, then review our program.  Our program is online and consists of four core courses.  After completion of all four courses, you are then eligible for certification in grief counseling.  The certification lasts for three years and is renewed upon that time

In the meantime, feel free to browse around the blog and site.  If you have any questions, please let us know.

See on www.chicagoparent.com

Do We Ever Stop Grieving?

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

The article, “Do We Ever Stop Grieving?”, by James Van Praagh states

“I believe that we souls learn something significant from all of our experiences, no matter how grand or small. Each experience changes us. When someone in your life transitions to a spiritual form, they never go without leaving gifts behind.”

American Institute Health Care Professionals’ insight:

Grief is part of the human existence.  If we lose something we value, we will always in some way grieve it.  If we did not grieve it, of what value would it be?

Grief Counselors can help people cope and adapt through grief, but should never deny the griever the right to grieve, even if many, many years later.

Yes, the grief stings less as time goes by and the adaption to life begins, but the past chapters of our life help make us who we are.  The past grief helped mold us and if still grieve over a loss, it only shows we are human and we lost something or someone very wonderful.

As long as is your grief is not complicated or pathological, then embrace it, it is what makes you, you.

If you are interested in learning more about grief counseling, then please review the program.

See on www.huffingtonpost.com

Preparing for the end: ‘death cafe’ brings people together to talk about dying

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

The article, “Preparing for the end: ‘death cafe’ brings people together to talk about dying”, by Nic MacBean.

“At a ‘death cafe’ in Brisbane, people sit around tables eating cake, drinking coffee, and talking about dying.”

American Institute Health Care Professionals’ insight:

Social media is opening up doors that were never opened before.  People are able to express themselves more openly for better or worst but are also able to find niches and fellow human beings who share their joys and pains.

This is also true about grief and death.  People are becoming more open about death and dying and this is definitely a good thing.  Kubler Ross believed that denying death stops us from truly living for the day.  With death cafes and a variety of others social venues, people are now talking about death.

Grief counselors can also take advantage of this and start to help people express themselves regarding grief, dying and death.

If you are interested in learning more or wish to know how to become trained in grief counseling, then please review the program

#needtrainingingriefcounseling

See on www.abc.net.au

Why Should Anyone Be Afraid Of Dying?

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

The article, “Why Should Anyone Be Afraid Of Dying?”, by Karl A. Pillemer, Ph.D. states

“We seem to be inundated now with books about death — and about how great it is.”

American Institute Health Care Professionals’ insight:

Most people who reflect on dying throughout their life have less anxiety especially if religious.  Most people instead fear not death but how they will die.  Will they die young, or in a horrible accident, or will the death be painful?

These are lingering questions but as people age, the questions sometimes change into making sure one’s life is in order and if their family is taken care of.

These are things that certified grief counselors must take into account regarding death.  Regardless, as social media continues to dominate the century, people will be more and more open to questions of death as forums force people to face it and discuss it

If you would like to learn how to train to become a grief counselor, then please review our program.

Our program consists of core courses for those interested in learning how to train to become a grief counselor.

#trainingtobecomeagriefcounselor

See on www.huffingtonpost.com