Healing the Wounds of Trauma

in Camp 2 and then go to Camp 1 later. Someone may have arrived in Camp 3, but move back into the hopelessness of Camp 2 in response to some event like the anniversary of a death.This may last for a week or so. All this is normal. Gradually a person moves more and more into the Camp of New Beginnings. What is not good is for someone to stay in Camp 1 or 2 for a very long time. For example, a woman may still think she can see or hear her husband a year after he is dead. Amother of a dead childmay keep his clothes ready for him, and won’t give them away a year or more after the death. A man may still be unwilling to go to social events with his friends two years after his wife has died. These people have stayed in Camp 1 or 2 too long, andmay need special help tomove on. ❂❂ DISCUSSION IN TWOS In the loss you mentioned earlier, did you come through all the camps to the place of new beginnings? Do you feel you got stuck along the way? Did you loop back at all? Explain. What can make grieving more difficult? Think again of the loss you experienced. Were there things that prevented you from grieving? What were they? Grieving is hard work, but some things can make it even more dif- ficult. These can be things such as how the loss happened or beliefs people have about grief. A. The type of loss can make grieving more difficult. Most losses need to be grieved, but these losses are especially difficult: • When there are too many deaths or losses at the same time. • When the death or loss is sudden and unexpected. • When the death or loss is violent. • When there is no corpse to be buried. 4. What can make grieving more difficult? ❂❂ DISCUSSION IN TWOS

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What Happens When Someone Is Grieving?