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Lory's Place is here to support you in person or virtually with articles, tips, and activities that will help you on your grief journey.

If you are grieving a death and think a support group might be for you, please contact us at 269.983.2707. We’re always here and available to listen. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram  for more grief content, and you can always find us at lorysplace.org
 

 

Grief Healing Newsletter
Aug 19, 2022 Reporting from Niles, MI
Aug 19, 2022
Re-Creation

Re-Creation

SpectrumHealth Lakeland

“The body heals with play, the mind heals with laughter, and the spirit heals with joy.” ~ Proverb

The dictionary defines recreation as “an activity done for enjoyment when one is not working”, but when you read a little further it has a second definition: “the action or process of creating something again” (www.bing.com). Consider that perhaps these definitions are linked – when you take time off work and engage in activities for enjoyment, you likely will experience a sensation of newness.

When’s the last time you felt new? When someone close to us dies, everything suffers – our body, mind, and spirit. Mourning someone’s death is necessary; if you don’t choose to mourn in a healthy way, chances are your body will figure out how to do it in an unhealthy way.

Healthy mourning looks different for different people. Some people may want to be alone, while others need support. Mourning is when you express your grief and get it out. Some positive examples are talking about the person, writing in a journal, or creating a memorial tribute to a cause they believed in.

Unhealthy mourning, on the other hand, can be a little harder to recognize. Our friends at What’s Your Grief describe it as negative coping:

“Negative coping encompasses any type of behavior employed as a quick fix to regularly avoid painful emotions or situations. These are temporary distractions that reduce emotional pain in the short-term, but provide very little in the way of actual healing.

Negative coping is like emotional aspirin. It numbs the pain temporarily, but the pain reappears once it wears off. Often these patterns of behavior end up making your stress worse because they are unhealthy and require a lot of effort to maintain. Moreover, they prevent you from effectively processing your emotions and experiences, which can lead to a prolonged sense of anxiety and emotional pain.” (to learn more go to Grief and Negative Coping whatsyourgrief.com)

So if you are actively engaging in healthy mourning, whatever it may be, we here at Lory’s Place highly suggest you take time to re-create yourself. Get together with your friends for a round of golf or a game of pickle ball. Go see a comedian in concert. Take time to celebrate with family and friends. Whatever you choose, please do not feel guilty for experiencing joy – it is a necessary component of life.

Re-Creation
by Lenee Imler | Aug 19, 2022    Share


“The body heals with play, the mind heals with laughter, and the spirit heals with joy.” ~ Proverb

The dictionary defines recreation as “an activity done for enjoyment when one is not working”, but when you read a little further it has a second definition: “the action or process of creating something again” (www.bing.com). Consider that perhaps these definitions are linked – when you take time off work and engage in activities for enjoyment, you likely will experience a sensation of newness.

When’s the last time you felt new? When someone close to us dies, everything suffers – our body, mind, and spirit. Mourning someone’s death is necessary; if you don’t choose to mourn in a healthy way, chances are your body will figure out how to do it in an unhealthy way.

Healthy mourning looks different for different people. Some people may want to be alone, while others need support. Mourning is when you express your grief and get it out. Some positive examples are talking about the person, writing in a journal, or creating a memorial tribute to a cause they believed in.

Unhealthy mourning, on the other hand, can be a little harder to recognize. Our friends at What’s Your Grief describe it as negative coping:

“Negative coping encompasses any type of behavior employed as a quick fix to regularly avoid painful emotions or situations. These are temporary distractions that reduce emotional pain in the short-term, but provide very little in the way of actual healing.

Negative coping is like emotional aspirin. It numbs the pain temporarily, but the pain reappears once it wears off. Often these patterns of behavior end up making your stress worse because they are unhealthy and require a lot of effort to maintain. Moreover, they prevent you from effectively processing your emotions and experiences, which can lead to a prolonged sense of anxiety and emotional pain.” (to learn more go to Grief and Negative Coping whatsyourgrief.com)

So if you are actively engaging in healthy mourning, whatever it may be, we here at Lory’s Place highly suggest you take time to re-create yourself. Get together with your friends for a round of golf or a game of pickle ball. Go see a comedian in concert. Take time to celebrate with family and friends. Whatever you choose, please do not feel guilty for experiencing joy – it is a necessary component of life.

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Home Activities

Here are some creative grief activities for adults, children or families that can be done at home.

Forget Me Not Activity (PDF)

Memory Mask Activity (PDF)

Positive Post-Its Activity (PDF)

Questions from Quarantine Activity (PDF)

Support Chain Activity (PDF)

Wish Keeper Activity (PDF)