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The end of the year holidays has always brought with
them some mental and emotional challenges of their own and
this year most of us have more than likely put all of our
struggles in one big box because everything seemed and felt
a priority with sparkles of panic.
Since I specialize in grief counseling, the majority of
my clients seek help toward the end of the year in
overcoming and healing through painful grief of loss of
loved ones. It seems to mark an anniversary of sorts as the
holidays are highly celebrated times and we often spend most
of that time with our loved ones for the celebrations unique
to our families and social circles. When they are no longer
with us physically in celebration, pain is aggravated both
of the heart and mind and if change is not put into place,
the pain seems to worsen with each added celebration and
year.
This year, this 2020, has caused us all great pain,
aggravation, and stress and even ending the lives of many
around the globe. How do we even come to attempt to
celebrate end of year holidays with enormous chaos, none of
our choosing but has affected every human being on this
earth?
I admit, I had to take a step back as it was something
I have never experienced as a counselor or an individual but
as this epidemic progressed so did we….we adapted and we did
what’s most human, we struggled to survive. The fact that
you and I are still standing is evidence enough that we
changed in some most heroic ways of nature and it is the
very same with grief and the heartaches of pain that
unfortunately tag along.
Having a grief counseling background was a great amount
of help in coming to terms with this pandemic year. Keeping
note of goals, change and progress were key to keeping any
parts of your mind.
Take a mental health moment to think back over
2020. What did you plan, what changed, what did you do or
not do? What are your strengths and weaknesses and if we
had seen it coming what would you do differently? Grief is
a normal and natural reaction to a loss of any kind yet most
people solely relate it to death and dying. It hurts
because it forces us to change things that have always
naturally kept us in survival mode, it hurts because your
life journey does not look to the goals you charted forward
in your life.
Plan to still set goals and expectations for 2021, we
are all stronger and paralleled in changes some we know are
coming and most that will knock us down with blows we hardly
see coming. Be prepared to having your mind tested. Know
who you really are, want to be and what you can and cannot
do. Keep your mind right and stand back up. I can’t say
how right 2021 will be for any of us but it will be a new
year and a possible new way of thinking.
Bernadette
Graham is a Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor,
National Certified Counselor and Certified Grief Recovery
Specialist. Provide feedback or reach out at
graham.bernadette@gmail.com For appointment information
please call 419.409.4929 Telehealth and in person
appointments available. Call today to schedule your
appointment.
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