In life we encounter many transitions. Some of them involve losses and therefore grief. But….what is grief? It is the expression of our suffering when someone or something dear to us is no longer at our side. So what happens to us? Is it normal to grieve? For how long? Although I would like to tell you exactly how long your grief will last….I can’t….each person has his or her own “clock” and each grieving process is unique. What I can tell you is that your attitude toward what has happened to you can really make a difference in your life and the lives of others.
As we face, for example, the death of a loved one, we can spend the rest of our lives crying because we miss our loved one, or we can chose, after the grieving process has taken place, to find meaning in that loss. And, you may ask, how can I find meaning? Well, maybe setting a charity fund, writing a poem, setting a nonprofit organization, or writing a book….anything that helps you express you suffering in a meaningful way.
Still…You may wonder how hypnosis may help you in your grieving process…
As a certified grief counselor and certified hypnotist I have realized how powerful suggestions are in processing the pain and living a life with purpose. I do not believe in preventing you from going through grief (it is needed in order to heal) but I feel there are some aspects of your grieving process that can be transforming and with meaning.
The following are examples of how hypnosis can be a great resource in processing your loss:
• Engage in complete relaxation as you enter the theta waves of your brain
• Get in touch with your subconscious mind where all beliefs reside
• Helping you in accepting the loss
• Overcome the feeling of hopelessness
• Heal at your own pace
• Setting a specific time to grieve and then continue with your life
• Envision the result you want in your life
Although we may feel grief will last forever...we can learn to live our lives keeping the memory of our loved one always in our hearts. We just need to find peace inside ourselves and live our lives with purpose.
Ligia M. Houben is an author and educator. She consults with individuals and organizations on life transitions with the purpose of providing the necessary resources to transform losses or hardships into an experience of personal growth. She has a B.A. from the University of Miami in psychology and Religious Studies and a Masters Degree in religious studies and gerontology from Florida International University. Ligia also has a Graduate Certificate in Loss and Healing from St. Thomas University and is a Certified Grief Counselor, a Certified Addiction Counselor and a Certified Thanatologist: death, dying and bereavement. Ligia is also certified as a Neuro-linguistic programming coach (NLP) and hypnotist. Among the different Meaning and Transformationtm seminars she offers are included: The Eleven Principles to Transform your Loss; Live a Life with Purpose and Realize your Goals and Grief at the Workplace, among others.
Ligia finds the spiritual dimension to be an essential component of our lives, especially as we face hardships or losses. Such philosophy is reflected in her book Transforma tu perdida. Una antologia de Fortaleza y esperanza (Transform your Loss. An Anthology of Strength and Hope). This philosophy is also reflected in her previous book La Virgen Maria y la Mujer Nicaraguense: Historia y Tradicion (The Virgin Mary and the Nicaraguan Woman: History and Tradition