- Self-Care is Not Selfish December 13, 2016 Taking care of yourself is not being selfish or acting self-absorbed You may have been taught to “be strong” and to put others’ needs first. To take care of yourself is not a selfish act, it’s treating yourself like you would a good friend. Especially during bereavement, people need to concentrate on self care. Please keep in mind: Listen to your body. Take the time to cry, sleep, talk and reminisce. Be kind to yourself by lowering your expectations. You don’t need to do everything at 100% capacity, get done what you are able to do. Communicate to others what you need from them and ...
- Top Ten Things to Know About Grief & Loss December 13, 2016 Recently, I was asked by a local funeral director to consider running a group at his funeral home. As I was mulling over what to include in the information, I came up with a Top Ten List of things I wanted people to know. The list is wordy, so I distilled it further and created a “Grief Heart” handout as well (see below Top Ten List). As always, please leave your feedback and comments about what resonates with you and what doesn’t. #10 Grief is an internal experience of all the thoughts and feelings you have when someone you love dies. These feelings ...
- Integrative Care for Cancer Patients May 12, 2015 The following is a guest post: Integrative Health Care Eases Pain and Grief for Cancer Patients The pain and grief felt by people with cancer can be debilitating and exhausting. When combined, pain and grief exacerbate each other. As pain increases, the ability to manage emotions becomes challenging. As grief intensifies, sensations of pain may increase. But the right combination of integrative health care can offer relief. Traditional health care has long focused on easing pain for people with cancer. Many types of physical pain are controlled well with the latest medications and treatments. Pain relief is essential to quality of life, but ...
- Low Self-Esteem January 27, 2015 Because a person’s self worth is developed during childhood, there may be several factors that contribute to low self esteem: Every child needs attention and love. If you grew up in an environment where there was childhood abuse and/or neglect, chances are you struggled with a good self-image. You may have learned that you didn’t deserve more than you got. “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me” may have been a common phrase you heard as a child. It’s a lie. Criticism (by family, peers, teachers, etc.) plays a big part in low self-worth. Being bullied ...
- What is Contemplative End of Life Care? January 19, 2015 Spiderman & the Little Stone Angel, Photo by: Michelle S. Scott Contemplative (Adjective): To allow for reflection and manifestation (expression) of deep thoughts, involving prayer or meditation and focusing on the divine presence or higher power, within. A person at the end of their life is leaving their world, including family and friends and many aspects that make up their life. They are also going somewhere that they can’t come back from and the information about their destination is unavailable and unknown; sometimes shrouded in religious or cultural traditions and beliefs, but ultimately unknown. Contemplative End of Life Care (CEOLC) recognizes that ...