Coping with Grief on Valentine's Day

It is difficult to think or even pretend that the month of February is not going to remind you of your loved one, or of any kind of love-related relationship. For some, this coming Valentine's Day may be the first year without your loved one. How to cope with the grief that is so acute and so painful? Verde Valley Community Hospice is hosting a special Valentine's Day art healing workshop on Wednesday, February 13^th 2013 from 6:00pm-7:30pm at Verde Valley Community Hospice at: 859 Cove Parkway, #103, Cottonwood, Arizona 86326. You may wish to bring a picture of your loved one when attending the art healing workshop. For more information, please contact Chyna Wu, M.A, Community Liaison Officer at: cwu@vvchospice.com or call: 928-592-2992

Some tips on how to cope with grief on Valentine's Day

1)      The night before Valentine's Day, you might set aside some personal quiet time, create a ritual by lighting a candle, say a prayer or write a poem to dedicate to your loved one.

2)      For some people the writing and then burning of a message to their loved one can be a healing experience. A coffee can is a good practical way of burning your message when you have ended your period of introspection.

3)      You can make a plan of action to do or give one thing as a dedication to your loved one. Such as: make a donation to a charity, volunteer your time, take someone out for lunch, make a meal and share with your family or friends, call someone and tell them you love them and they have not been forgotten.

4)      Allow your sadness or happiness to arise naturally. Do not suppress either one of them, remember, you own your emotions and you have the right to feel either way.

5)      Going to a local grief support group or healing workshop, giving and receiving peer support and being with those who share the same experience is one of the best healing methods during the grief process.

6)      Surround yourself with those who understand and support you.

7)      It is fine too, if you choose to do nothing at all. We all grief differently and allow yourself to do whatever feels most comfortable during the grieving process. Grief often oscillates between making progress and regressing almost at the same time. There is no formal sequence or stages of grief. It is a personal journey.

8)      Reach out to a trusted friend or a professionally trained grief counselor if you experience an extreme sadness and needed to talk to someone. Most hospice organizations offer free grief support group or can refer you to a private grief counselor.