Navigating Loss with Grace: Building Inner Strength and Moving Forward

Description

Course written by Dr Emma Bisschoff

Course content

31 PDF modules

The Journey through Grief and Loss Workbook (176 pages)

Grief and Loss Journal (105 pages)

Set of Grief Relief cards (26)

5 Audio

Extras: Healing Grief and Loss PPTX presentation

Meditation for Busy People mini-course

The Grieving Process Worksheet

Grief is a natural and universal experience that arises from the loss of someone or something significant in our lives. Whether it is the death of a loved one, the end of a relationship, or the loss of a job, the emotions that come with grief can be overwhelming and difficult to navigate. While it is often tempting to push away our grief or try to find a way to move on quickly, it is important to acknowledge and honor our feelings of loss. Finding Hope amidst Grief – The Journey to Healing your Broken Heart is designed to help individuals develop a deeper understanding of their grief and learn how to navigate it with self-compassion and acceptance. Through this course, you will gain the tools and resources needed to move through your grief in a healthy and supportive way.

I have written this course specifically to help you, as I would have liked something like this during all the losses I have personally suffered in my life.

Have you suffered the loss of a loved one – a spouse, a partner, a parent, a child or someone else who had been a vital part of your life and about whom you cared deeply?

Have you come face-to-face with some other personal loss: a divorce, a health crisis, an abrupt dismissal from a job or failure of a business, the death of a cherished pet or saying good-bye to a home?

Has your loss left you sad, confused, angry and full of questions that seem to have no answers?

If any of these examples describe your current situation, chances are that you are experiencing grief, a natural, normal response to encountering any major loss. Grief is an emotional distress that you suffer when someone or something close to you has been taken away. It is a multidimensional experience that can affect you physically, emotionally, socially and even Spiritually. Grief can come upon women or men at any age or stage of life. It also cuts across all socioeconomic levels. No one escapes loss; whatever your philosophical or Spiritual belief system, experiencing a significant loss and the subsequent grieving can shake up your psyche. When grief strikes, it can feel as if the world has been pulled out from under you.

Most of us want to live happy lives. We want peace and stability. We don’t want difficulties. But the difficult experiences in life are the ones that really cause us to grow. We may not ask for these experiences. We may not want this growth – but here it is. We have no choice. The difficult experiences capture our attention. They consume our awareness. They change our perspective. They often force us to see ourselves differently, to live our lives differently. They bring us face-to-face with our fears. They give us exactly what we don’t want. The difficulties in our lives can wake us up – if we let them. In that sense, death and loss have been the greatest teachers in my life. Perhaps they can be for you, too. They have taught me the significance of every day, the preciousness of each relationship, the need to stop postponing what is important. They have forced me to explore deeper and deeper levels of love and acceptance. They have forced me to learn that love and relationship exist beyond the limits and constraints of the body. But they are fierce teachers. And like the other great teachers I have had, they have pushed and prodded me, sometimes ruthlessly, to gain a deeper understanding of who and what I am. They have forced me to deepen my understanding of what life is about. They have brought me more and more into the moment. They have helped me to learn what love really is. A raging storm of emotion is triggered by the loss of something or someone we love, and in that storm, we feel unprepared to navigate the turbulent waters of our own grief.

My wish for you is that you will embrace all of what life has to offer – the good and the bad – in such a way that the losses in life don’t break your Spirit, your trust or your faith. You will discover the deeper peace that can be found along your journey – no matter how much you doubt that such peace is possible.

Module 1

Introduction

Module 2

Bereavement

What is bereavement?

Symptoms

Diagnosis

Causes

Anticipatory grief

The loss of a beloved pet

Miscarriage

A loss due to suicide

A change in health status

Types

Coping

Module 3

The importance of dealing with grief

Give yourself permission to express your emotions

Acknowledge you are hurting

What happens when we deny ourselves the grieving process?

Ways in which the grief process can be unhealthy

Avoidance

Numbing

Risk-taking behavior

Substance abuse

Over or under eating

Obsessing/Controlling

Video: 5 Things to know about grieving

Module 4

The physical and biological nature of grief

Loss of appetite

Stomach aches and nausea

Severe headaches

Extreme fatigue

Accelerated heart rate or shakiness

Difficulty sleeping

Sudden angry outbursts

Prolonged crying or sobbing

Temporary confusion or absentmindedness

Inability to concentrate

Video: We don’t move on from grief, we move forward with it

Module 5

Setting the intention to heal

Reconciling your grief

Video: Coping with grief

Module 6

Stages of grief

What it feels like going through the stages

Denial

Anger

Bargaining

Depression

Acceptance

Other possible stages of grief

Shock

Depression

Testing

Decision

Integration

Common misconceptions about grieving

I am doing it wrong

I should be …

This goes first

It is taking too long

I am depressed

Video: Complicated grief

Module 7

The four paths

Shock and numbness

Disorganization and despair

Reorganization and recovery

The Four Tasks of Mouring

Accept the reality of the loss

Work through the pain and grief

Adjust to the environment in which the deceased is missing

Find an enduring connection to the deceased

Module 8

Grief v Depression

Grief

Depression

Module  9

How tears help the grief process

Tears are emotional tension manifested

Crying validates your inner vulnerability

Science supports crying due to grief

Module 10

Coping with grief whilst working

Refrain from assuming coworkers know

Plan your escape route

Forgive others

Forgive yourself

Module 11

Holidays, birthdays and other celebrations

Set realistic expectations

Prepare for the event

Proactively choose how you will celebrate

Make new holiday traditions

Including lost loved ones in the celebration

Module 12

Children and grief

Why is it hard to talk to children about death?

What if I am not ready?

Ability to understand death

Signs a child is grieving

Clinginess

Development regression

Academic issues

Sleeping problems

Difficulty sleeping

Anxiety

Feelings of abandonment

Behavioral reactions

Guilt

Changes in play

When to get professional help

Excessively imitating the deceased person

Extended period of depression

Symptoms that get worse with time

Repeatedly expressing a desire to join the deceased person

How to help a child cope

Be honest

Acknowledge the loss

Be patient

Speak with caregivers

Take care of yourself

Read books about grief

Signs down the road

Module 13

Grief journaling

What is a grief journal?

Understand the psychology

Create your journal

Find inspiration

Create a schedule

Find your writing space

Read your writing

Grief journal prompts

Healing grief through writing

Module 14

When grief doesn’t go away

What is complicated grief?

What is the difference?

Complicated grief symptoms

Complicated grief v Depression

They have different causes

Depression has different forms

Sufferer’s behavior is different

Depression is more difficult to recognize

Depression is relentless

What are the risk factors and complications?

Childhood trauma

Anxiety

Mental health conditions

Lack of sleep

Chronic disease

Substance abuse

Ways to treat complicated grief

Overcoming complicated grief

Module 15

Helping someone who is grieving

Understand the grieving process

There is no right or wrong way to grieve

Grief may involve extreme emotions and behaviors

There is no set timetable for grieving

Know what to say to someone who is grieving

Acknowledge the situation

Express your concern

Let the bereaved talk about how their loved one died

Be genuine in your communication

Be willing to sit in silence

Offer your support

Things to avoid saying to someone who is grieving

Offer practical assistance

Provide ongoing support

Don’t make assumptions based on outward appearances

The pain of bereavement might never fully heal

Offer extra support on special days

Watch for warning signs of depression

Words of comfort

Words and phrases for grief in specific situations

Putting comforting words in writing

Adding your words of sympathy to a gift

Acknowledge loss in a caring way

Module 16

Grieving a suicide

Common survivor emotions

Taking care of yourself

Allowing yourself to grieve

Express your feelings in a tangible way

Be physically healthy

Don’t judge yourself or let others judge you

Finding support

Finding support groups

Therapists or counselors

Faith-based groups

Community

Module 17

Survivor’s guilt

What is survivor’s guilt

Coping with survivor’s guilt

Accept your feelings as legitimate

Share your feelings with trusted people

Practice personal self-care

Find concrete ways to honor those lost in the trauma

Donate to charity

Do good to others

Connect with your loved ones

Healing and recovery can occur over time

Module 18

Setting your grief boundaries

What are boundaries?

Why do I need boundaries?

What types of boundaries do I need in grief?

How do I set boundaries?

Simple, once-off boundaries

Enforcing grief boundaries with consequences

Do I have to explain the reason for my grief boundary?

Remember, grief boundaries are for YOU

Boundaries can be flexible

Module 19

Rituals for grief and loss

How rituals can help us resolve our grief

The questions you need to form your rituals

What is the meaning behind your ritual?

Where and when will your ritual take place?

Who is going to attend your ritual?

What will your ritual entail?

Putting it all together

Candle meditation script for grief

Module 20

Avoid making big decisions

Big decisions that should wait

If you have to make a major decision

Module 21

Grief and loss of a pet

The grieving process after the loss of a pet

The grieving process happens gradually

Feeling sad, shocked or lonely

Trying to ignore your pain

Set aside the time to grieve in your own way

Reflect upon the life shared between you and your pet

Make sure you continue to meet your basic needs

Choose a calming practice and use it regularly

Maintain routines with your living animals

Memorialize the memory and love of your pet

Don’t hesitate to seek support from understanding friends or relatives

Helping children grieve the loss of a pet

Ways to prepare for your dog’s death

Preparing yourself emotionally

Learn about the stages of grief

Talk to your children

Spend quality time with your dog

Take photos

Preserve your dog’s paw print

Making arrangements for your dog’s death

Dog cremation

Dog burial

Veterinary disposal

Recovering from grief and loss

Meaningful ways of communicating with pets after death

Healing process of dream reunions with pets

Dog afterlife stories

Dog Spirit presence

Module 22

Ways to find comfort

Accept your feelings

Module 23

Facing your future

The grief process is a multifaceted journey

Tips for facing the future after grief

Define your new normal

Use positive self-talk

Take an inventory of your current values

Rethink your priorities and set realistic goals

Protect your emotional vulnerability

Make sure to continue to take care of yourself

Allow new people into your primary support team

Module 24

Dealing with greedy family members

Aim for healthy communication

Empathize with the need for control

Set boundaries

Create a schedule to go over the estate

Coping with family fighting after a loved one dies

Is it grief or greed?

How do you deal with greedy siblings?

How do you stop family fights over an inheritance?

Common conflicts over material possessions

How does grief affect the family unit?

Different grieving styles

Family dysfunction after death

Why do siblings grow apart after parents die?

The impact of death on the family system

Handling greed and grief

Module 25

Dealing with secondary los

A surprising kind of loss

How secondary loss relates to other loss

Secondary loss as disenfranchised loss

Secondary loss as ambiguous loss

Module 26

Meditation

Develop compassion for ourselves and others

Grief meditation scripts

Tonglen compassion meditation

Candle meditation script for grief

Grief meditation to release the deceased person

Taoist meditation for sadness and grief

Video: Grief meditation

Audio: Meditation, death and impermanence

Module 27

Crystals

Healing crystals for grief and loss

Apache Tears to process grief

Pink Kunzite for loss of love

Smoky Quartz to transmute depression

Rose Quartz to soothe your heart

Amethyst for dreams of lost loved ones

Larimar for inner peace and acceptance

Pyrite to soothe anxiety

Blue Calcite to aid in self-expression

Celestite for support from Higher Beings

Module 28

The Mourner’s Code

Self-compassion principles

You have the right to experience your own unique grief

You have the right to talk about your grief

You have the right to feel a multitude of emotions

You have the right to be tolerant of your physical and emotional limits

You have the right to experience bursts of grief

You have the right to make use of ritual

You have the right to embrace your Spirituality

You have the right to search for meaning

You have the right to treasure your memories

You have the right to move towards your grief and heal

Module 29

Best online grief support groups

Module 30

Grief and loss workbook

Extras

Grief process worksheet

Healing grief and loss

Extra audio

The visit – Meeting loved ones in Spirit

Between worlds – Continuing conversations with loves ones in Spirit

Dealing mindfully with grief and loss

How to deal with grief and unexpected loss

Attunements

Trauma care

Crossing Over Brigade