People sometimes ask me what “grief recovery” means.
In my work with the Grief Recovery Method we talk about unresolved grief being related to undelivered communications from unmet hopes, dreams, and expectations. It can also be things we wish we had said or did differently, better, or more.
Processing emotions can happen in many different ways. The most important thing in grief recovery is taking action.
Even the smallest action signals movement. Creative activities are an effective way to express emotions.
Research shows that experiencing sadness results in a deactivation of the left prefrontal areas of the brain relative to the right prefrontal areas.
While the left hemisphere specializes in positive emotions like joy and hope, the right hemisphere dispenses emotions like anxiety.
Many grievers are challenged with making decision, brain fog, and lack of focus. While your left brain is in some level of deactivation creativity can be your greatest tool.
You may not feel like a creative person but think about the things that you like. What did you like to do when you were young?
One of my favorite creative activities is baking or creating new recipes with vegetables – my kitchen is a source of comfort and stress relief and then I have great food to eat!
Here are some ideas to help you along:
1) Music
a. Listen – add dance or movement to move stress hormones through your body
b. Learn a new skill (taking lessons or joining a group class to learn a new instrument can help with social connection)
2) Writing
a. Choose one word a day to focus on and keep a journal about your observations on this word
b. Poetry – David Whyte is one of my favorite poets that I found during a particularly challenging time of loss
c. Take a class in creative writing or poetry
3) Paint or draw
a. If you don’t feel like an artist just find some crayons or colored pencils. Let your intuition guide you and pick up any color. Put it to paper and see what wants to be expressed
b. Here is a compilation of the 10 best YouTube to learn how to paint: https://medium.com/splatrs/10-best-youtube-channels-to-learn-how-to-paint-6215db66f07d
4) Get your hands in the dirt!
a. Start a small garden
b. Plant some herbs if space is limited
As you take action steps to process your grief you will find that your left/right brain interaction improves.
In the meantime – know that grief is normal and natural and creativity is a way to bring yourself comfort and express some of your emotions that need expression.
