Treating Death and Loss From COVID – 19 continued from page 18
• Assist clients with actualizing the loss . It is useful here to talk about the loss and verbalize memories of the deceased .
• Explore emotions and process them . Some clients might not be in touch with feelings such as anger or guilt . Bringing these to the surface and normalizing these emotions can provide liberating stuck energy .
• Help clients adjust to living without the deceased through problems-solving strategies . Because the primary loss comes with multiple secondary losses , we must address those with effective problem-solving strategies .
• Help clients normalize their behavior since many might feel like they ’ re “ going crazy .”
• Allow time for grieving , and explain that everyone takes different times to grieve .
• Help your clients remember the deceased one . Some may fear that they will forget their loved , lost one ; thus , it is imperative to find ways of remembering the precious and positive memories of the deceased .
• Assist clients with examining defensive mechanisms and ineffective coping styles . Grievers may overreact to non-threatening or neutral situations , which is expected during the time of loss . Clinicians can help clients explore their triggers and explore more effective ways of coping when vulnerabilities are exposed .
• Finally , help grieving clients find meaning in their loss . Exploring the silver lining does not come immediately nor easily . However , it is a necessary step in grief work that contributes to post-loss growth .
Many of the steps in grief work listed above can be accomplished by asking clients to journal and write about their deceased , about their feelings , and about their fears and worries . Using symbols , metaphors , and evocative language is also very therapeutic and is encouraged in processing grief .
Encourage clients to draw and visualize if they are encountering challenges in emotions , thinking , or behavior . Cognitive restructuring and role-play can also be beneficial , especially when the survivor is dealing with guilt and unfinished business . Throughout such processing , pay attention to ongoing assessment and reassessment , because some clients may develop signs of complicated or prolonged grief . Clinicians who are not comprehensively trained in grief or trauma-informed care may find it beneficial to refer clients for more specific treatment .
The Center for Complicated Grief provides the following HEALING Milestones to help those affected by grief :
• Honor your loved one and yourself through reconnecting with your own interests and values .
• Ease emotional pain by getting to know your emotions — both painful and pleasant ones .
• Accept grief and let it find a place in your life .
• Learn to live with reminders of your loss .
• Integrate memories in meaningful ways that can help you learn and grow .
• Narrate stories of the death to understand and accept its reality .
• Gather friends and loved ones and let them into your life ; let them support you .
To download handouts on helping clients with grief , as well as resources for professionals on helping clients deal with COVID-19 loss , visit
https :// bit . ly / 2VqZ5iV .
THE WORK WE DO TO HELP EASE CLIENTS ’ GRIEF IS IMPORTANT
For more information on the impact of the coronavirus , download AMHCA ’ s August 2020 report , “ Beyond a Perfect Storm — How Racism , COVID-19 , and Economic Meltdown Imperil Our Mental Health .” The report addresses :
• The wave of institutional racism and discrimination , and how it affects physical and mental health , as well as racial unfairness in the U . S . criminal justice system
• The wave of covid-19 , and its toll on mental health
• The wave of economic calamity
• The tsunami of mental health misery , with tables showing statistics related to mental health , substance use , and suicidal ideation as well as anxiety and depression , and co-occurring disorders
• Opportunities to transform the mental health system
Download the report , free , at :
www . amhca . org / publications / reports / beyond-perfect-storm .
Though grief work is not easy , it is rewarding . The work that LCMHCs do is a gift to bereaved clients because we can actively help grievers learn more about themselves and explore new identities in the face of the loss .
I want to conclude with the inspirational words of American journalist and feminist Gloria Steinem , who said : “ The art of living is not controlling what happens to us , but using what happens to us .” Even though the pain after losing a loved may be excruciating , we still have the power to learn and grow from such adverse experience and turn disconnected times into stronger connections .
The Advocate Magazine Spring 2021 American Mental Health Counselors Association ( AMHCA )
www . amhca . org 19