A Guide To Grief And Loss: A Healing Approach – Part 4

Grief Healing Methods

Along with my suggestions for healing methods in Part 3 of  A Guide to Grief and Loss: A Healing Approach, there are Complementary Interventions that can also help.  Sometimes, we need to do a few extra things or to think outside the box to help with our grief process. Here are some additional ideas:

Additional Healing Interventions:

  • Nature-based rituals (what out in nature would make you feel better……examples: skip rocks at favorite lake, serve a picnic in a special spot, build a fire and burn a letter to the person, make a bird house dedicated to your special person and hang outside)
  • Music (your own, Indian flute music, “Yesterday”, “I’ll see you again”, or whatever helps)
  • Holiday/Anniversary rituals (cook their favorite dessert [Example: a sister’s fond memory of her and brother was always licking the batter to brownies. So on his birthday…she makes brownies)
  • A message (write a meaningful message to your loved one.  All the things you want to say to them)
  •  Aromatherapy (apple pie, lavender to calm, Vanilla)
  •  Acupuncture
  •  Meditation
  •  Yoga or Ti Chi (has been very helpful in healing. It opens the body up)
  •  Guided imagery (Listening to a healing story)
  •  Relaxing each part of your body (Check out the CD:  Relax, Unwind & Sleep)
  •  Mindfulness ( This is a process of living in the moment, noticing your breath, how your body feels, what it feels like to walk, the sounds and smells around you )
  • Slow deep breathing (Breath from your belly slow and deep)
  • Animal-assisted therapy (dogs and cats can be very loving: holding them or petting may help).  
  • A project or hobby that takes your mind off yourself. Build a structure in memory of your loved one. Make an art project that expresses your feelings of loss and grief. Write poetry that reveals your emotions. Draw a picture that is meaningful. Sew a project ( had a friend who made a memory quilt out of pieces of her lost son’s clothing).
  • Do a sport you love….fishing, boating, swimming. Swimming brings me peace at a deep level in my soul. 

Other suggestions that help grievers:

Go through a list of your strengths and pick them out. Therefore, you will feel more empowered and able to cope.

Go through Grief workbooks and pick out exercises that you would like to do. “Grief Workbook”   or “Why Did you Die?”

Grief: a personal journey

Please remember: Grief is a personal journey. It needs to follow a path that the individual finds healing. Many times, a person doesn’t know what will be healing so they can try different things. If it seems to help, continue…if it doesn’t help, discard. It’s OK if you choose to do it a different way. There is an old Buddhist saying “There are many ways up the mountain”. Each positive step is a step in the right direction. Step by step you will move towards a life of healing. Remember that these ideas are just suggestions. Hopefully, it will lead you to ways that will help you mend your broken heart. I wish you healing and blessings on your way.   

For additional reading, try On Grief and Grieving: Finding the Meaning of Grief Through the Five Stages of Loss by Elisabeth Kubler- Ross and David Kessler. Martha Whitmore Hickman and “I wasn’t ready to Say Goodbye” by Brook Noel and Pamela Blair, PhD. For more articles by this author, go to www.supportivetalk.com or book a conversation at your convenience at the website.