Rev. Wintz writes for the Huffington post, arguing that grief is not something that can be “defeated” through faith, or through any quick-fix. She shares her own personal experience of the sudden death of her daughter, saying that 10 years later, she still grieves for her child.
“Grief is a journey and an event that affects our lives forever,” says Rev. Wintz. “It does not mean we cannot continue to participate in life and find joy, but the reality is that after a loved one’s death we look at life through a different lens.”
It is important, particularly for professionals who work with grieving people, to be educated about and aware of the signs of grief-related mental illness in order to be able to offer appropriate support and advice through these times.
She says: “There are times when grief’s accompanying depression, anxiety, emotional and spiritual distress becomes too difficult for the bereaved person to bear. That’s when the right resources need to be activated. Families, friends, and co-workers need a basic knowledge of grief in order to normalize the bereaved person’s experience and provide them support. We also need to understand when a bereaved person needs additional mental health support when the trauma becomes difficult to manage.”
Rev. Wintz is facilitating a course, Mental Health Fundamentals for Spiritual Care Providers, offered by HealthCare Chaplaincy Network and the California State University Institute for Palliative Care. You can find more information online.
Read the full article on the website of The Huffington Post.
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