Grief is a natural and normal response to loss, bereavement or trauma. It entangles one in a complex maze of feelings. There is shock, sadness, pain, anger, yearning, fear, anxiety, guilt, loneliness, fatigue and more. Those in grief exhibit a range of states and behaviours – daze, panic, despair, depression, sickness, absentmindedness, insomnia, silence, hysterical crying, social withdrawal, sometimes even delusion, and more.
That said, if grief hits, it also heralds growth. If it traumatises, it also transforms one at psychological, behavioural, existential and spiritual levels.
My ‘Grief & Growth’ philosophy and practice is rooted in the faith that ‘loss and love’, ‘trauma and transformation’, ‘mourning and meaning’, ‘pain and purpose’ and ‘grief and growth’ are existential co-pilgrims. My metaphor for ‘Grief & Growth’ journey is ‘pilgrimage’.
I have conceptualised and actively practice an original framework called GROWTH Mandala to facilitate meaning-inspired deep growth in the wake of grief and trauma.
My GROWTH Mandala model
guides the grief-pilgrims through six phases of –
Grief Affirmation
Resilient Adaptation
Opening to the Emergent
Way to Well-being
Transformation; and
Harmonious Reemergence
All of these phases are sovereign. They do have a relationship with one another, but are not sequentially bound to each other. To each grief-pilgrim their own. Grief journey is no ordinary journey. It is unimaginably painful and tough.
Nonetheless, most people make this journey on their own with acceptance and resilience. Some grief-pilgrims though need compassionate counsel and support. With humility, love, care and competence, I offer counselling and expert companioning to such people.
I help and partner my grief-pilgrims to recognise and work with the specific phase(s) that call them the first or the strongest. I take individual-specific approach, and practice a contextually appropriate blend of my GROWTH Mandala model, ‘Grief Therapy as Meaning Reconstruction’, Logotherapy, Appreciative Inquiry, Poetry & Therapeutic Writing, and Expressive Arts.
Private Session
I provide counselling and expert companioning to individuals, couples, families and groups in grief, trauma or adversity, to support and facilitate their ‘Grief ~ Growth ~ Grace’ pilgrimage.
Organizational Training
I offer specialist immersive workshops to sensitize and train Organizational Leaders (especially those in HR, support & other helping roles) for “Grief Affirmative Compassionate Engagement” of employees returning from bereavement & in grief.
Group Retreats
I lead ‘Grief ~ Growth ~ Grace’ pilgrimage immersions for private groups of grief-pilgrims. These are typically one week long outbound immersions in nature. Currently owing to Covid-restrictions, these immersions are on hold.
Training & Education
I offer specialist professional training to counsellors, coaches and other helping professionals who work with those in grief. Apart from my GROWTH Mandala model, I include other meaningful approaches and frameworks in my training.