Page 83 - MASALA Magazine Vol.15 Issue 6 | August - September 2024

up and normalising mental health
conversations. This process can
What are the benefits of going start with a few key strategies. Firstly,
to grief therapy? through educating and raising
Grief Therapy is about providing awareness about mental health and
support on top of comfort. The goal debunking myths that counselling
of a grief therapist is to be a supportive is a sign of weakness; it’s actually a
presence the bereaved person can testament to our capacity for love
lean on. To assist in allowing the and connection. A great way to do
pain to exist, instead of searching this is through engaging community
for a silver lining. Grief counselling leaders to aid in advocating for mental
offers numerous benefits, such as health awareness, and normalising
creating a safe environment, aiding the act of sharing personal experiences.
in comprehending the grieving process, Additionally, providing culturally-sensitive
offering strategies for coping with loss, counselling that respects the community’s
preventing complicated grief and associated values, sharing success stories, and making
mental health issues like depression or mental health services more accessible and
anxiety, and alleviating feelings of isolation. How can grief counselling benefit affordable through community centres or
With therapeutic approaches such as active children and adolescents? schools will also be vital steps in assisting
listening, acknowledgement, and validation, this journey.
the therapist allows the person to grieve in Most children recover from grief without How did you get started as a counsellor
a way that feels natural instead of pushing any long-term emotional problems. Grief in this sector and what is your approach
the person towards feeling better or overly is a normal response, but for children who to helping people through their grief?
encouraging them to be strong. experience long-term levels of distress, the Honestly, I feel this sector chose me more
loss can cause a variety of complex feelings
Grief is a universal emotion that people and behaviours such as sadness, disbelief, than I chose this profession. I was at a
frequently encounter throughout denial, anger, and changes in eating and crossroads of my life, during which I felt
their lives. In your opinion, why are sleeping habits. They may struggle to the need to learn and grow, and unleash
individuals so reluctant to seek concentrate in school, or even have difficulty my true self.
counselling for it? forming healthy relationships, thus affecting I wanted to move away from being a part of
There are several reasons why people may normal functioning. a predictable and repetitive family business.
not seek counselling for grief. Stigma This is when I was served with the opportunity
surrounding mental health care often Grief counselling can be particularly to study a Master’s in Psychotherapy and
discourages individuals, as it can be beneficial for children and adolescents Counselling through my son’s school. The
perceived as a sign of weakness. Cultural through age-appropriate communication. idea of Psychology excited me, so I took this
beliefs may also emphasise handling grief This helps youngsters understand and opportunity with awe and gratitude. Thus,
privately or viewing it as a natural process process their feelings in a manner suitable for my journey began in this field, and it is
that doesn’t involve seeking professional their developmental stage. By encouraging still going strong. I began my career as a
help. Additionally, a lack of awareness emotional expression through counselling Counselling Psychotherapist out of a deep
about the benefits and availability of grief by way of play, art, or open discussion, it desire to help individuals navigate through
counselling, not recognising the severity of helps them process complex emotions distressing complex emotions associated
grief, and personal beliefs that one should and build resilience, while also improving with not just general mental health, but
manage grief independently, all contribute communication and cohesion with people specifically with grief and loss issues.
to this reluctance. in their personal lives. Through my work tenure in various types
Counselling and mental health care of settings, seeing individuals healing from
What is anticipatory grief and why do their grief(s) and losses, and not just living
are often viewed as taboo within the
people seek counsel for it? Thai-Indian community. How can but thriving, is such a humbling experience.
We experience loss in many ways, big and we aid in changing this perception
small – through death, traumatic events, and normalising mental health and My approach to guiding people through
pandemics, natural disasters, breakups, counselling? their grief is rooted in empathy, compassion,
unemployment, changes in one’s daily There are a vast number of people of and education, creating a supportive space
routine, and ups and downs with money and Indian origin in Thailand, and many of where clients feel understood and valued.
health, just to name a few. Anticipatory grief them have lived in the country for several I focus on individualised care, tailoring
is one type of grief. It’s the grief that occurs generations. I feel such communities all over counselling techniques to each person’s
before a significant loss, often experienced the world stay very closed to cultural and unique experience of grief by employing
when someone is expecting the death of a societal changes as they stay under added holistic methods like cognitive-behavioural
loved one due to a terminal illness. This type pressures to maintain their originality. This therapy (CBT), mindfulness, and creative
of grief can encompass a range of emotions, approach has also affected the perception of therapies such as Narrative Therapy and
such as anger, anxiety, fear, sadness, and seeking counselling within the Thai-Indian Visualisation.
guilt. According to the Centers for Disease community. However, change is happening, Seeking counselling for grief is not a sign
Control and Prevention (CDC), working but sadly at a very slow pace. of weakness. Instead, it can be likened to
through multiple losses at the same time can learning a new sport or skill, where we explore
be difficult, but more harmful if ignored. There’s a lot of work to be done in the the sophisticated human mechanism, and
Understanding grief and loss helps people Thai-Indian community, and it will be a train ourselves toward emotional resilience
to work through it in a better way. learning process centred around opening and better mental health.

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