Gentle Grief

Nobody should have to experience grief and loss on their own. You are not alone.

My name is Aida Sanchez and I am a Grief & Bereavement Counselor, Advanced Certified Grief Recovery Specialist and Board-Certified Music Therapist.

01/06/2021

✨Dear 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣1️⃣,

✨ This last year was an overwhelming concoction of conflicting, mixed emotions for people all over the world. For the first time in our lifetime, we were (and still are) going through the same experience across the globe. 🦠

🕊 I think the start of this new year is an opportunity to reboot and be gentle with our own grief. When I speak about grief in this context, it encompasses our trauma, depression, anxiety and sometimes our other non-death related grief experiences that can pour into other aspects of our lives.

✨ When we begin to practice radical compassion and acceptance for ourselves and others, this is where we begin to see real change in our communities and consequently the rest of the world. 🌎 🤍

🙏🏼 Thank you for sharing this powerful image. 🤍

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12/08/2020

🎙 Excited to be on today at 3:36PM EST! 🗣

📻 If you have a chance today, feel free to tune in and learn a little bit more about .co and share with your friends🧡

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11/28/2020

🍁Holiday Season🍁

🍂For many of us as the holiday season approaches it can feel more like “winter is coming.” 😳 💨

✨As we enter this particular season combined with the 2020 dumpster fire 🔥 , take a moment and remember your grieving loved ones. Those who have lost and most likely are not having the best time.

✨Take a moment and check in on them and see how you can support them especially during this period of isolation.

✨Even though they may be suffering, a caring face or a helping hand goes a long way and can mean the world to someone in their grief.

♥️ Sending all my grievers the biggest hug during this season. My heart is with you. 🤍

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10/25/2020

I can’t believe it’s been 5 years. This was such a special soul in my life. You impacted me and so many others in ways you couldn’t even imagine. We all miss that beautiful smile that would always light up the whole room. It amazes me how you continue to be such an inspiration to so many of us. So many people are doing wonderful things because of the ideas you had and the visions you shared with us. We know you’re watching and as usual either laughing or smiling down from heaven. We love you and miss you so much Ashwin!! 🧡🎶🕊

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10/20/2020

This is another one of the common people make. Most of our loved ones are well meaning, however that doesn’t always translate as initially intended.

When we tell someone “not to feel bad” we are essentially telling them how to feel. When someone we love is faced with a devastating loss, who are we to tell them how they should be acting or feeling?

Our society unfortunately can fall into the “toxic positivity” mentality so easily. From time to time, we I’m sure we have all fallen victim in participating in this vicious cycle.

Telling someone “things will get easier or better” isn’t helpful. Forcing someone to bypass their deep, dark grief isn’t helpful. Instead, we can try asking “how can I help?” Or automatically offering help so that the person can feel supported. Trust me, they will feel the love from you. ❤️

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10/09/2020

🧡 Many people assume grief can only be related to a death experience. Many think if they haven’t had an impactful death in their lives, then they have never grieved before.

🌾Sometimes, it’s possible for us to experience what I like to call “non-death” related grief experiences.

🏡For example, losing your home.

💔How could this NOT look like grief? If we lose our home, or for some reason are forced to relocate.. this can definitely be a traumatic experience for us.

💸The financial burden on top of the environmental shock we experience when we have to shift our entire lives, leave everything behind and having to start over can produce many conflicting feelings.

🍃Among them we can feel frustration, inadequacy, disorientation, isolation, fear ... between the trauma we experience leaving everything behind and these conflicting emotions are direct signs that we are having a grieving experience. Unfortunately, it's not always recognized this way. 🧡

10/06/2020

Grief is love with no place to go. ❤️
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🙏🏼Beautiful image by 🤍

09/23/2020

💫Feedback from one of my who experienced an estrangement.

🤍Grief can manifest and creep into our lives in sneaky ways. One of these ways, is through an estranged relationship.

💔Being no longer close or affectionate to someone can make us feel alienated and lonely. This can have serious consequences on our hearts if we assume we can just push down our emotions and “move on.”

🍃Unfortunately, sometimes being able to establish that reconnection to that person is not an option ... however making the decision to heal our hearts knowing that we are carrying that pain with us is always an option.

🌾If you’ve experienced something similar and would love to explore the possibility of 1:1 Online Grief Support, send me a DM. I’d love to connect with you.

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09/21/2020

✨ 30 ✨

This year has been quite a trip. If you would have asked me last year what I wanted to do for my 30th trip around the sun, I honestly had no clue. I probably would have answered some awesome trip to a destination I have yet to discover. Boy, was I wrong. I finally just got back to the states from being back home in the Dominican Republic for a whole 5 weeks.

We were able to safely socially distance the first two weeks from our family to make sure we didn’t catch anything on our way there.

The last three weeks were pure family-quality time bliss. Even after working in hospice for several years, sometimes we forget to put things into practice. All I needed for my 30th birthday was to be surrounded by family back at the homeland.

I feel so recharged, refreshed and happy to have been able to spend that time with them.

Bienvenido a los ‘TA’s! 🌞🌴🌊

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09/11/2020

👣If you're a griever, chances are your brain is going 10000x miles per hour. Your brain is sending your body so many conflicting signals, you probably feel drained and exhausted.

🧠According to psychology today, the risk of becoming clinically depressed among the bereaved is significantly high, especially when traumatic events are left untreated.

🚶‍♀️ There is a strong correlation that physical activity helps reduce stress and fights depression.

🤍You certainly don't have to pull a Reese Witherspoon and go on a full out "Wild" trek, but pushing yourself to get outside and getting your body to move will help as a way of coping with your grief.

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09/09/2020

🦊 This friendship is fur real. This is my little Roxanne. She brings so much happiness and sunshine to my life.

🌞 So many people think when we lose our furry companions, it’s not a big deal. Let me tell you, it’s extremely painful to lose a furry loved one. Our pets are the true manifestation of pure, unconditional love. No matter what happens, you know they’ll never betray you and will always hang by your side.

🤍 Working with death and dying I’m constantly thinking about death. I look at my little Roxy baby and dread the day I have to lose her. I try and cherish each moment I have with her because in the end I know...... life would be RUFF without you.

I will always woof you, little Roxy. Grateful to have her bring so much joy into my life. 🌞🦊❤️

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08/28/2020

This is another one of the common people make. Most of our loved ones are well meaning, however that doesn’t always translate as initially intended.

I have been around grievers, death and dying for the past 8 years. When it comes to long terminal illnesses, after the person has died many people try to find the “right” thing to say... and so they try to find the bright side to the situation.... in this case saying something like “at least they’re no longer suffering.”

While this may be intellectually accurate, it’s not always necessarily helpful to hear. To the person who has lost their loved one, this is only the beginning. ❤️

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Website

http://www.gentlegrief.co/

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Welcome to Gentle Grief

Nobody should have to experience grief and loss on their own. You are not alone. My name is Aida Sanchez and I am a Grief & Bereavement Counselor, Certified Grief Recovery Method Specialist and Board-Certified Music Therapist.