People grieve over the loss of many different things. Of course, we grieve when a loved one has died or a beloved pet has died. We also grieve when we lose something important, like a relationship. Grieving is an integral part of healing from childhood abuse, as it is necessary to grieve the loss of a happy, normal childhood. With this variety of causes of grief, and the universality of the experience of grief throughout all cultures and time, there can be limitless reasons to seek grief counseling. Most of the time, people with good support systems can overcome their grief with enough time and caring from the people around them. However, this is not always the case. This is when a person decides to seek professional counseling.

Ann's theoretical basis for bereavement counseling is the Four Tasks of Mourning, proposed by J. W. Worden. These tasks are:

1. Accepting the reality of the loss
   There is often a period when the bereaved feels a sense of "unreality." This is why it is usually important to view the deceased or at least to have a funeral or some other way to mark the end of that person's life.
2. Experiencing the pain of grief
   It is very true that you have to move through grief and you cannot get around it by numbing yourself.
3. Adjusting to an environment in which the deceased is missing
   A bereaved family member often asks, "What am I supposed to do now?" It usually takes some time to accept life without the loved one.
4. Emotionally relocate the deceased and move on with life
   This final, crucial step allows the bereaved to accept what has happened and rejoin life in some way. This is not to say that this step is about having everything "over," or "being all better." Instead, there is a combination of allowing the memory of the deceased reside in the heart and mind, but also to integrate that memory in a way that promotes healthy functioning in daily life.

Ann offers Restorative Yoga to her clients seeking healing of their grief. This type of yoga, developed by Judith Lasater, is useful for restoring the individual from an overload of stressful situations by creating a specific type of relaxation. Ann guides your body into comfortable positions while reminding you to breathe mindfully.

The necessity of relaxation to combat stress has been empirically supported for decades. Edmund Jacobson, MD, wrote You Must Relax in 1934, featuring the (now) well-known procedure of progressive muscle relaxation. Herbert Benson, MD, coined the phrase, "relaxation response," in The Wellness Book. David Spiegel, MD, in Living Beyond Limits, emphasized the importance of integrating mind and body to treat illnesses such as hypertension. These are just a few of the pioneers in the field of stress reduction.

Restorative Yoga works by:

1. Using pillows and other supports that allow for a total relaxing experience.
2. The sequence of movements encourages the spine to move in all directions, thus promoting overall well-being through a healthy spine.
3. By resting the legs up on a wall, the effects of gravity are reversed, heart function is enhanced, and many other benefits are gained.
4. The organs are stimulated and soothed.
5. Energy balance is restored in the body.

Ann will guide you through sequences of very gentle "postures" in this type of yoga, gently positioning your body on the pillows and props to allow you to experience deep relaxation. Ann is a certified yoga teacher.

Ann specialized in the area of grief and loss while doing all of her graduate work and was awarded certification in Elder Practice from FAU. Time devoted to the Bereavement Department of Hospice of Palm Beach County and the Crisis Care Unit at Hospice by the Sea gave Ann a variety of experiences and depth of understanding to help someone through new grief or complicated grief.

For more information, call:
561-314-9879