Lack of knowledge about the grief process - age old wisdom

Reflections on Personal Experiences with Grief

An important step in being helpful to others who are experiencing grief and loss is to examine our own experiences. How losses in our own lives affected us and continue to affect us can affect how we reach out to others. Sometimes we are aware of these thoughts and feelings. Other times, they may affect us, but we don’t really recognize how they might color how we help others. Please spend some time thinking about the following questions.

What have been your own personal experiences with death, loss, and grief?

Whom did you lose?

How old were you?

What were the circumstances?

Did your reaction differ based on whom you lost?

Did your reaction differ based on how old you were and what stage of life?

Thinking about these reactions:

How long did you experience severe distress?

How long have you felt upset about the loss?

Have you been depressed about the loss?

How often do you think about the loss now and how do you feel about it?

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	Index Introduction 1: Opening Our Eyes 2: Lasting Pain 3: Clergy, in the Mirror 4: About Grief Knowledge Quiz Using Personal Experience The Grief Process Ebb & Flow Guilt and Grief Forgotten Grievers References and Resources 5: What Families Need 6: What Congregations Can Do 7: Professional Help 8: Lessons Learned	Lack of knowledge about the grief process - age old wisdom Reflections on Personal Experiences with Grief An important step in being helpful to others who are experiencing grief and loss is to examine our own experiences. How losses in our own lives affected us and continue to affect us can affect how we reach out to others. Sometimes we are aware of these thoughts and feelings. Other times, they may affect us, but we don’t really recognize how they might color how we help others. Please spend some time thinking about the following questions. What have been your own personal experiences with death, loss, and grief? Whom did you lose? How old were you? What were the circumstances? Did your reaction differ based on whom you lost? Did your reaction differ based on how old you were and what stage of life? Thinking about these reactions: How long did you experience severe distress? How long have you felt upset about the loss? Have you been depressed about the loss? How often do you think about the loss now and how do you feel about it?
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