Defining Grief & Restorative Practices
Grieving can be a lifelong process and take many forms at different times. One moment you’re going through the motions of life, and then something like a sound or smell may reactivate painful memories and affect your ability to be present at the moment. You may feel strong emotions like sadness, anger, or anxiety.
When we experience trauma, feeling a wide range of emotions is a normal response and affects everyone differently; therefore making it difficult for you to concentrate or be present. It’s essential to remember that these emotions are only passing through your body and are not permanent.
When you are overwhelmed by your emotions, take a moment to do a body scan and name the uncomfortable emotions running through you. As you learn to define and understand how grief shows up in your life, you can start to turn to restorative practices such as grounding to help ease the pain and bring you back to the present.
Grounding is a set of strategies to help you detach from emotional pain and connect you with the present moment. By Defining what grounding practices look like for ourselves, we can explore a variety of restorative practices that can be accessed anytime, as needed. Click HERE for a list of grounding techniques to help bring you back to the center.
"Grounding means accepting that they won't be back, and neither will my 'old self.'"
Losing a loved one to homicide can be a painful and daunting experience. In our support group, survivors discussed the ability to name & define their emotions and what grounding looks like to them.
Below are quotes by different survivors expressing what grounding means to them.
“Grounding to me is returning back to earth.”
“I use breathing, stretching, and access my senses.”
“Grounded is what I felt before losing my loved one to homicide.”
“Having support helps me feel grounded.”
“I feel like I am losing parts of myself; who I was is going away.”
“Grounding means listening to my body.”
“I like who I was before this happened.”
“Grounding means accepting that they won’t be back, and neither will my ‘old self.'”
“Grounding and mindfulness help bring me back after facing reality.”
“I did not realize that my breathing exercises are a grounding technique, one that works for me.”
If you are a Survivor of Homicide and would like to learn more about our support groups please visit: homicidesurvivorsinc.org/support-group/
Every April, the Office of Victims of Crime (OVC) helps lead communities nationwide in their annual observances of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW) by promoting victims’ rights and honoring crime victims and those who advocate on their behalf.
We invite you to join us from April 21-27, where Homicide Survivors will host events empowering survivors through workshops, survivors’ stories on hope, and our Annual Candlelight Vigil.
Every year, families in our community are shattered by the loss of a loved one to homicide. Please consider joining us this Arizona Gives Day and donating to our cause. Your contribution will ensure we continue to provide services to Survivors, such as advocacy, support and assistance.
