Grief and trauma can go hand in hand. Sometimes, grief inspires trauma- the trauma of loss. Other times, the trauma of loss inspires grief. At the same time, grief can be trauma and trauma can be grief. The Guest House Ocala defines trauma as “any life event or series of life events or ongoing life events that create a negative impact on your life that changes or distorts your vision of yourself and your place in the world,” as it is outlined by Judy Crane. Whatever our trauma is, it is also a source of grief. Traumatic events can feel as though they take away from us and our lives. We lose a piece of ourselves to trauma, a period of our lives, a sense of what we thought we knew about the world. Our trauma can sometimes show us the worst in life, the parts we hoped to never encounter. Grief is a necessary part of trauma recovery so that we can move through the process of healing. Healing and trauma recovery help us move toward grief, ending up with acceptance. Though trauma can show us the worst, our recovery can show us the best.
Grief is a powerful experience. Research has shown that grief that causes heartbreak can quite literally hurt the heart and cause severe psychosomatic symptoms. The experience of grief goes through ebbs, flows, and cycles. There is no predicting how we feel and how we will get through each phase. Transitionally, we experience grief in stages- five of which were infamously designated by Elizabeth Kubler Ross.
When we try to fight grief, we are really fighting acceptance. Grief is the inevitable- once we start grieving, we are acknowledge that whatever it is which caused our grief, like our trauma, is true. This thing happened in our lives, happened to us, and has had an impact on us. What we often don’t realize is that in avoiding grief and acceptance, we fight the process of healing. As soon as we can accept that our trauma has occurred, and that grief is part of the process of healing from that trauma, transformation can begin.
At The Guest House Ocala, you will be met with open arms, welcoming you where you are, how you are. Our private residential treatment programs are individually designed to help you heal from trauma, addictions, and related issues. Come transform your life from the past for a brighter future. Call us today for information on our concierge style accommodations: 1-855-483-7800