What if I am not ready to move on? It’s ok to not be ok.

Grief Shared is Grief Halved

Sharing your grief can make grief more manageable, help you to feel less alone, find understanding, and find comfort. You can share your grief in many ways. One way you can share your grief is by talking to a trusted friend or family member. Another way you can share your grief is by attending and participating in support groups. One of the greatest ways you can share your grief is by writing it down if you are not comfortable talking with others. In addition, seeking counseling or therapy is another way to share your grief.

Guided Meditation and Breathing

by Bonnie Torrence

 

Take time to sit grounded in your chair

Feet flat on the ground 

Feel your feet in your shoes

Place your hands on your thighs

Sit up straight in your chair

Pay attention to the smells and sensations you are having

Be in the present moment let thoughts just come and go 

Do not hold onto intrusive thoughts just let them go

Stay in your present moment

Now begin to pay attention to your breath

Breathe slowly in and out slow your breath down

Just breathe

Begin to deepen your breath and inhale for four seconds hold at the top and exhale for four seconds

Continue to deepen your breath with each inhale and with each exhale

As you breathe pay attention to the breath inhaling and exhaling

Notice how you can control your breath by speeding it up on the inhale for four seconds and the exhale for four seconds as well as slowing the breath down

Pay attention to where your shoulders are relax the shoulders out of your ears

Now begin to just gently breathe normal in and out

Slowly open your eyes and take note of your thoughts

Stay in the here and now

Let the thoughts just flow and not get stuck

Allow yourself to be still and notice how you feel

Repeat this breath exercise as needed to calm the nervous system

 

Meditation: start with 2-3 mins and increase as needed

Take this time to slow your thoughts and be still

Now take a moment to get quiet and not distracted

Breathe in a grateful thought and focus on the gratitude as you inhale

As you exhale release the negative thoughts and anger

Slow the breath and inhale the gratitude and exhale the negative

As you focus on gratitude imagine what the gratitude feels like in your body

Now take your thoughts to compassion and kindness to yourself

Acknowledge how you feel in your body right now and release the tension

Talk to yourself using kind words you need to hear now

Remind yourself of your value, beauty and resilience

Imagine your beauty, value and resilience that you exhibit in this world

Allow yourself to breathe into your beauty, value and resilience

Recognize your worth, beauty and resilience

Now slowly allow yourself to come back to your breath and open your eyes if closed

Recognize your time just spent focusing on gratitude, self-compassion, your value, beauty and resilience

Additional Grief Support Resources

To help you and your loved ones on this journey, we have compiled an extensive list of helpful books, magazines, and websites for all ages.

 

See Full List Here