Dealing with Loss

NOTE;1. YOU MUST CALL THE ORGANIZER ON THE MORNING OF THE MEETING. Call 347-278-6289 from
8:30 -11:30 AM ONLY. By exchanging cell #'s we can deal with lateness,or not being able to find each other.Please call ONLY on Sunday morning.

2.It is Memorial Day Weekend ( in case you were unaware)

3 .The organizer has found ways that have diminished her depression significantly. She used professional writings of psychologists,sociologist and together,with intelligent research and then taking action!Yes acting upon what one reads is a vital part of change. My life is signifantly better than when I was is the deepist depression. I have even found a wonderful friend in one of my meet-ups! I organize three of these. I had worked 8 years teaching the emotionally handicapped.I hold an M.S.E. and workd for NYS Office of Mental Health for a contracted 6months as a yoga/meditation instructor and did counseling work.

3. The idea of this is not that I or anyone should analyze your problem or solve it for you.. You can do research yourself and liberate yourself from excessive habitual thoughts and practices that are keeping you depressed.
4. The round-robin format provides a way to state your opinion. A therapist or anyone who really wants to help others should trust the intelligence of one who is depressed. They should also NOT be seen as god -like or seen as anything else than an intelligent helpful person who has some degree of misery in their life and their own flaws.What makes them different is they have taken psych courses. At the worst you may have a therapist who dictates to you,who reinforces bad feelings about yourself,and who discourages one from reading and thinking for themselves. I do not worship other people and have a certain disdain for ''gurus ". I'm just innovative and have a knack for this

1. Introductions and ground rules for Round -Robin Discussion

2.Round -Robin Discussion; What works for you.( Please feel free to write down any techniques you have for dealing with loss and grief.)

3.Organizer's strategy
A. Cognitive Realization- The sadness and grief are expected emotions. However they do not bring the person back. It is therefore important not to be crippled with grief and to reduce it

B.Verbal Expression of Grief-release the feelings pent up with words.This helps to not only grieve,but to purge the sadness.

C. Mindful crying or focusing on sadness-I'll demonstrate this technique that further purges sadness
( I'll probably be tearful over another persons sadness,no you do not have to cry if this embarrasses you)
D.Cognitive realization and visualization- Realize that you miss this person and the cared for you. Now since they cared about you they would want you to grieve for them but they would also want you to be HAPPY,and to be productive. We will visualize the lost one wanting you to carry on with life and be happy. Visualize and experience hapiness with that person.Honor them with good times you had.

E. Focus on Happiness-Finding Happiness in simple pleasures

Group hug or hand holding in a circle ( not mandatory).
Bring: a photo of a vacation picture,a humorous observation of life, a drawing you did or art that you like,play acoustic guitar?-bring it. We can also observe the beautiful plants in this quiet overlooked
park.
NOTE: 1. bring food ( fruit or whole grain snacks to share would be nice)
2. Techniques for reducing grief may need to be repeated for many years.It is not easy
3. I'll stay till 6:30 so that you get the most out of this event. I can also answer questions of dealing with guilt,and thantosphobia( a profound fear of death)