There are numerous programs on loss and grief. There are few programs, however, on FEAR of loss and FEAR of emotional pain.
It is the FEAR of loss that perpetuates numbing behaviors that subtly and not-so-subtly rob people of their vitality. Paradoxically, learning how to connect with the part of self carrying loss, pain, disappointment, and failure liberates resiliency. This requires resisting the urge to numb emotional pain and to learn how to listen to this part of self without fear. This applies to personal and professional caregivers who work in burn-out rich environments. Ongoing, unrelenting, caregiving can wear a person down by slowly and gradually exerting PTSD-like effects on the nervous system. Well-designed caregiver ceremonies can effectively respond to the losses that healthcare providers sustain.
OBJECTIVES: