1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:13,320 Speaker 1: M hm okay. Welcome to the Therapy for Black Girls Podcast, 2 00:00:13,840 --> 00:00:18,720 Speaker 1: a weekly conversation about mental health, personal development, and all 3 00:00:18,720 --> 00:00:21,400 Speaker 1: the small decisions we can make to become the best 4 00:00:21,400 --> 00:00:25,760 Speaker 1: possible versions of ourselves. I'm your host, Dr Joy hard 5 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:30,560 Speaker 1: and Bradford, a licensed psychologist in Atlanta, Georgia. For more 6 00:00:30,640 --> 00:00:34,640 Speaker 1: information or to find a therapist in your area, visit 7 00:00:34,680 --> 00:00:38,760 Speaker 1: our website at Therapy for Black Girls dot com. While 8 00:00:38,800 --> 00:00:42,479 Speaker 1: I hope you love listening to and learning from the podcast, 9 00:00:42,960 --> 00:00:45,320 Speaker 1: it is not meant to be a substitute for a 10 00:00:45,400 --> 00:00:57,000 Speaker 1: relationship with a licensed mental health professional. Hey, y'all, thanks 11 00:00:57,040 --> 00:00:59,280 Speaker 1: so much for joining me for such an one sixty 12 00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:02,800 Speaker 1: two of the Erapy for Black Girls Podcast. Much of 13 00:01:02,800 --> 00:01:05,800 Speaker 1: what we've been experiencing in various ways over the past 14 00:01:05,840 --> 00:01:09,560 Speaker 1: couple of months is grief. Grief related to the loss 15 00:01:09,600 --> 00:01:13,800 Speaker 1: of loved ones, our previous way of life, and our 16 00:01:13,840 --> 00:01:18,119 Speaker 1: ideas about what would look like. To help us dig 17 00:01:18,160 --> 00:01:20,840 Speaker 1: a little deeper into what grief looks like. Giving our 18 00:01:20,880 --> 00:01:24,720 Speaker 1: current state of affairs, Dr a Jetta Robinson returns with 19 00:01:24,840 --> 00:01:29,800 Speaker 1: us as a guest. Dr Robinson is a licensed clinical professional, counselor, 20 00:01:30,360 --> 00:01:35,720 Speaker 1: trauma and grief expert. First generation, trauma and poverty disruptor. 21 00:01:36,319 --> 00:01:39,000 Speaker 1: She is the founder and executive director of Friends and 22 00:01:39,040 --> 00:01:43,920 Speaker 1: Transition Counseling Services, a trauma centered mental health practice located 23 00:01:43,959 --> 00:01:48,960 Speaker 1: in Bethesda, Maryland. She's also the CEO of Legacy Wellness Group, 24 00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:54,600 Speaker 1: a conglomerate of enterprises dedicated to promoting generational wealth, education, 25 00:01:54,840 --> 00:01:59,280 Speaker 1: and healing. Dr Robinson and I chatted about our collective 26 00:01:59,280 --> 00:02:03,360 Speaker 1: sense of grief, how our rituals around grief have been upbended, 27 00:02:04,120 --> 00:02:08,800 Speaker 1: the importance of processing symbolic losses, and her thoughts about 28 00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:10,640 Speaker 1: the work that will need to be done on the 29 00:02:10,680 --> 00:02:14,160 Speaker 1: other end of the pandemic. If you hear something that 30 00:02:14,240 --> 00:02:17,480 Speaker 1: resonates with you while listening, please remember to share it 31 00:02:17,520 --> 00:02:20,639 Speaker 1: with us on social media using the hashtag tv g 32 00:02:20,880 --> 00:02:25,040 Speaker 1: in session. My apologies in advance as we did have 33 00:02:25,120 --> 00:02:31,840 Speaker 1: some tech issues with this interview. Here's our conversation. Thank 34 00:02:31,880 --> 00:02:34,560 Speaker 1: you so much for being back with us today, Dr Robinson, 35 00:02:34,880 --> 00:02:37,360 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for having me. Yeah, I am 36 00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:40,320 Speaker 1: very happy that you were able to join us again. Um, 37 00:02:40,360 --> 00:02:42,960 Speaker 1: you joined us for session thirty one of the podcasts, 38 00:02:42,960 --> 00:02:45,280 Speaker 1: and so it feels very timely to have you back, 39 00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:48,320 Speaker 1: given that it feels like much of what we have 40 00:02:48,440 --> 00:02:52,960 Speaker 1: been dealing with in tw is grief. Absolutely. I think 41 00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:55,880 Speaker 1: one of the things that is really profound for me 42 00:02:56,160 --> 00:02:58,639 Speaker 1: is that for the first time in a very long time, 43 00:02:58,680 --> 00:03:01,880 Speaker 1: I think we're all experience thing or noticing the collective 44 00:03:01,880 --> 00:03:04,720 Speaker 1: grief that we're experiencing that doesn't always have to relate 45 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:08,919 Speaker 1: with people dying that's happening, but we're recognizing that grief 46 00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:12,480 Speaker 1: manifests as a result of other experiences as well, and 47 00:03:12,520 --> 00:03:14,720 Speaker 1: I think that's opening up a dialogue that we haven't 48 00:03:14,720 --> 00:03:17,480 Speaker 1: had capacity to have in a while. Yeah, you talked 49 00:03:17,520 --> 00:03:20,080 Speaker 1: about that a lot on your last visit. You know 50 00:03:20,160 --> 00:03:24,800 Speaker 1: that grief is much more than just us losing loved ones. 51 00:03:24,880 --> 00:03:26,720 Speaker 1: Can you talk a little bit about some of those 52 00:03:26,760 --> 00:03:30,359 Speaker 1: symbolic losses? Absolutely? So. I was also want to say 53 00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:33,640 Speaker 1: that grief is a universal experience, but that is unique 54 00:03:33,680 --> 00:03:36,400 Speaker 1: for each of us, and so we will navigate a 55 00:03:36,480 --> 00:03:42,000 Speaker 1: variety of spaces, nonlinear processes that are triggered by not 56 00:03:42,200 --> 00:03:43,840 Speaker 1: just the death of a loved one, but some of 57 00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:46,800 Speaker 1: these day to day losses that we experienced, such as 58 00:03:47,240 --> 00:03:49,880 Speaker 1: things are really being amplified right now because of this 59 00:03:50,040 --> 00:03:53,440 Speaker 1: pandemic and some of the racial injustices that are occurring, 60 00:03:53,840 --> 00:03:58,160 Speaker 1: such as loss of safety, both emotional, psychological and for 61 00:03:58,240 --> 00:04:02,119 Speaker 1: some physical as well, loss of stability, loss of routine, 62 00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:05,600 Speaker 1: loss of some of these milestones, of anniversaries. Some are 63 00:04:05,600 --> 00:04:09,800 Speaker 1: experiencing loss of control, loss of income, loss of identity. 64 00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:13,040 Speaker 1: All of those are symbolic losses. And here's the thing. 65 00:04:13,480 --> 00:04:16,600 Speaker 1: The body doesn't know that the loss of symbolic. It 66 00:04:16,720 --> 00:04:20,200 Speaker 1: grieves the same as if the loss is physical. And 67 00:04:20,200 --> 00:04:24,200 Speaker 1: so it's so importantly because I often hear people minimize 68 00:04:24,240 --> 00:04:27,279 Speaker 1: their losses because no one died, right, And so I 69 00:04:27,320 --> 00:04:30,400 Speaker 1: think that is an it's an unfair comparison to make. 70 00:04:30,800 --> 00:04:33,520 Speaker 1: It is a unique experience, and the body is going 71 00:04:33,560 --> 00:04:35,839 Speaker 1: to do grief work regardless of what the trigger is. 72 00:04:35,880 --> 00:04:38,200 Speaker 1: And so that's important for us to just know one 73 00:04:38,279 --> 00:04:41,240 Speaker 1: understands that it's such an important point. Can you say 74 00:04:41,279 --> 00:04:44,320 Speaker 1: a little bit more about how grief sometimes shows up 75 00:04:44,320 --> 00:04:47,720 Speaker 1: in our body? Absolutely, and so it can show up 76 00:04:47,839 --> 00:04:50,760 Speaker 1: physically in our body, and oftentimes that is what first 77 00:04:50,800 --> 00:04:53,360 Speaker 1: alerts us that something isn't okay, is that we are 78 00:04:53,480 --> 00:04:56,919 Speaker 1: physically feeling it. We might feel paying in our stomach, 79 00:04:57,040 --> 00:05:01,680 Speaker 1: it might be some gi issues such uh, just normal pain, right, 80 00:05:01,800 --> 00:05:05,040 Speaker 1: what feels like issued digesting food it maybe you know 81 00:05:05,160 --> 00:05:08,400 Speaker 1: the think he's like diarrhea, things like that, we feel 82 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:12,840 Speaker 1: it in our choice. Even numbness in extremities is pretty common, 83 00:05:13,040 --> 00:05:19,880 Speaker 1: chest pain, micrains, loss of memory, concentration, all of those things. 84 00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:24,160 Speaker 1: Even we've seen folks present with respiratory issues right that 85 00:05:24,520 --> 00:05:28,480 Speaker 1: feel like they are physical or biological in nature, but 86 00:05:28,600 --> 00:05:31,919 Speaker 1: then really be cyclosmatic complaints as a result of both 87 00:05:32,000 --> 00:05:35,720 Speaker 1: brief and trauma, right. And so the body scores all 88 00:05:35,760 --> 00:05:39,599 Speaker 1: of that, especially if we're in a prolonged activated state 89 00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:43,400 Speaker 1: like we have been in this pandemic that's now followed 90 00:05:43,480 --> 00:05:47,400 Speaker 1: up with the racial injustice and the rest of occurring. 91 00:05:47,880 --> 00:05:51,240 Speaker 1: All of those things are heightened states of being which 92 00:05:51,360 --> 00:05:53,960 Speaker 1: requires the body to operate on a very different level, 93 00:05:54,040 --> 00:05:57,839 Speaker 1: which often means that we are heightened cortisol levels, which 94 00:05:57,880 --> 00:06:01,760 Speaker 1: is never great. That we're on the body right physically 95 00:06:01,839 --> 00:06:05,640 Speaker 1: and psychologically. So all of those things are responses to 96 00:06:05,680 --> 00:06:08,920 Speaker 1: both greef and trauma that we may not necessarily code 97 00:06:08,960 --> 00:06:12,599 Speaker 1: of briefings. Mm hmmm. Yeah. And you know, as I'm 98 00:06:12,640 --> 00:06:17,320 Speaker 1: listening to you talk, I am finding myself overwhelmed, and 99 00:06:17,360 --> 00:06:20,400 Speaker 1: I think it goes back to this this collective grief 100 00:06:20,440 --> 00:06:23,120 Speaker 1: that you were talking about, right, So many of us 101 00:06:23,160 --> 00:06:25,520 Speaker 1: have been sheltering in place or at least you know, 102 00:06:25,640 --> 00:06:30,080 Speaker 1: modified connecting with others for quite some time now. Lots 103 00:06:30,080 --> 00:06:33,600 Speaker 1: of people have lost loved ones. We have lost really 104 00:06:33,640 --> 00:06:37,479 Speaker 1: all sense of normalcy at this point, and like you mentioned, 105 00:06:37,520 --> 00:06:42,960 Speaker 1: just continuing racial injustices. And so I'm wondering, what does 106 00:06:43,520 --> 00:06:47,359 Speaker 1: processing all of this grief even look like compared to 107 00:06:47,480 --> 00:06:49,960 Speaker 1: maybe when you would maybe just lose a job, but 108 00:06:50,120 --> 00:06:52,920 Speaker 1: other things are going okay in your life. Yeah, And 109 00:06:52,960 --> 00:06:57,520 Speaker 1: so I think that the ambiguous nature of laws, right, 110 00:06:58,120 --> 00:07:01,960 Speaker 1: and that it's so there's really no domain of our 111 00:07:02,000 --> 00:07:04,880 Speaker 1: life that is an impact normally, you know, when our 112 00:07:04,920 --> 00:07:08,400 Speaker 1: personal life is going to you know, tacking to hanvest 113 00:07:08,440 --> 00:07:13,000 Speaker 1: it right automatically in the dumpster because of things that 114 00:07:13,040 --> 00:07:16,600 Speaker 1: are happening, we're usually able to you know, go to 115 00:07:16,600 --> 00:07:19,240 Speaker 1: work and disconnect from that and block it out. Well, 116 00:07:19,240 --> 00:07:22,640 Speaker 1: we have we're doing all of that in in our homes, right, 117 00:07:22,920 --> 00:07:26,760 Speaker 1: many of us are or we're going into spaces office 118 00:07:26,760 --> 00:07:29,640 Speaker 1: spaces that aren't feeling space and that aren't we're grieving 119 00:07:29,680 --> 00:07:32,400 Speaker 1: there as well, right, We are triggered there as well. 120 00:07:32,640 --> 00:07:35,880 Speaker 1: So there's no escape, and so even though we don't 121 00:07:35,960 --> 00:07:40,200 Speaker 1: typically want to use escapism as a coping mechanism, it 122 00:07:40,240 --> 00:07:44,040 Speaker 1: does minimize that feeling of overwhelmed because we're not constantly 123 00:07:44,040 --> 00:07:47,080 Speaker 1: having to encounter it and grapple with it. We can 124 00:07:47,240 --> 00:07:48,840 Speaker 1: you know, do some of the grief work and walk 125 00:07:48,880 --> 00:07:52,720 Speaker 1: away from it so that it isn't just overwhelming totally 126 00:07:52,840 --> 00:07:55,520 Speaker 1: encompassing experience. And that's what we're seeing is that there's 127 00:07:55,600 --> 00:07:58,800 Speaker 1: no there's no release, right, There's no relief from what's 128 00:07:58,840 --> 00:08:02,200 Speaker 1: happening in there's no end in sight, right. I think 129 00:08:02,320 --> 00:08:05,600 Speaker 1: that is also compounding it. And so our normal things 130 00:08:05,640 --> 00:08:08,400 Speaker 1: that we might use, such as you know, disconnecting and 131 00:08:08,480 --> 00:08:11,120 Speaker 1: hanging out with friends or you know, going to the 132 00:08:11,120 --> 00:08:14,040 Speaker 1: movies or other ways that we're able to just modulate 133 00:08:14,440 --> 00:08:18,320 Speaker 1: the amount of emotions we're having to contend with. We 134 00:08:18,400 --> 00:08:21,520 Speaker 1: don't have those resources right now. They're not available to 135 00:08:21,600 --> 00:08:24,200 Speaker 1: us in the ways that they were. And actually on 136 00:08:24,240 --> 00:08:26,560 Speaker 1: the other end, right, is that we now have this 137 00:08:26,680 --> 00:08:30,000 Speaker 1: over stimulation of things that's actually not allowing us to 138 00:08:30,080 --> 00:08:32,920 Speaker 1: check out, right, And so we're engaged in social media 139 00:08:32,960 --> 00:08:34,839 Speaker 1: in a way that even though we were on social 140 00:08:34,880 --> 00:08:37,600 Speaker 1: media before, we usually have breaks because we had to 141 00:08:37,640 --> 00:08:40,520 Speaker 1: go do something right, or go be somewhere or at 142 00:08:40,600 --> 00:08:43,440 Speaker 1: you know whatever, it might be, hit in the car, 143 00:08:43,640 --> 00:08:46,680 Speaker 1: what have you. There was these breaks in that exposure 144 00:08:47,120 --> 00:08:50,560 Speaker 1: that now we're just being flooded, right, And many of 145 00:08:50,679 --> 00:08:55,280 Speaker 1: us didn't have great boundaries around or or um maybe 146 00:08:55,320 --> 00:08:58,079 Speaker 1: the insight that we needed or awareness that we needed 147 00:08:58,080 --> 00:09:01,440 Speaker 1: are around what our boundaries are around how much we consume, 148 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:05,280 Speaker 1: right or the things that we do to help reregulate ourselves. 149 00:09:05,280 --> 00:09:08,480 Speaker 1: We are kind of just managing it in really I 150 00:09:08,480 --> 00:09:11,360 Speaker 1: think a distancing kind of way, right, distancing ourselves from 151 00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:16,400 Speaker 1: the trigger by being busy with people, with things, with work, whatever. 152 00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:19,439 Speaker 1: And now all of those things that we normally use 153 00:09:19,640 --> 00:09:22,320 Speaker 1: to cope out really available in the same way, right, 154 00:09:22,400 --> 00:09:25,840 Speaker 1: So we're having to relearn that as well. So that's 155 00:09:25,960 --> 00:09:29,040 Speaker 1: one of my concerns is that we're seeing more complex grief, 156 00:09:29,600 --> 00:09:34,600 Speaker 1: which is often a result of traumatic experiences and cumulative 157 00:09:34,600 --> 00:09:37,080 Speaker 1: and compounded Greek experience is like what many in the 158 00:09:37,160 --> 00:09:40,839 Speaker 1: black and indigenous people of color groups are experiencing as 159 00:09:40,840 --> 00:09:44,600 Speaker 1: a result of repeat exposures. Right. My concern is that 160 00:09:44,760 --> 00:09:47,080 Speaker 1: one it it is occurring, and then too that this 161 00:09:47,200 --> 00:09:52,760 Speaker 1: population is disuportunately impacted but also underrepresented in the healthcare 162 00:09:53,000 --> 00:09:56,840 Speaker 1: mental health care service system, right, and so less likely 163 00:09:56,880 --> 00:10:00,600 Speaker 1: to either receive treatment or receive culturally comm to care. 164 00:10:01,000 --> 00:10:03,000 Speaker 1: And then the amount of clinicians we have that are 165 00:10:03,000 --> 00:10:06,520 Speaker 1: actually trying to treat complex trauma in this population, because 166 00:10:06,520 --> 00:10:10,200 Speaker 1: I'm really I am concerned about what this all means 167 00:10:10,240 --> 00:10:14,400 Speaker 1: for the overall hope and healing for this particular population, 168 00:10:14,400 --> 00:10:17,400 Speaker 1: which I'm remember of, right, and so I'm aware of 169 00:10:17,440 --> 00:10:22,640 Speaker 1: being you know, I'm not unaffected by all of these things, right, right, Yeah, 170 00:10:22,720 --> 00:10:26,079 Speaker 1: I echo your concern there, and just you know, I'm 171 00:10:26,160 --> 00:10:28,959 Speaker 1: thinking about, like, even if you didn't necessarily come into 172 00:10:29,040 --> 00:10:33,120 Speaker 1: this with different layers of trauma, it definitely feels like 173 00:10:33,160 --> 00:10:37,280 Speaker 1: there's enough going on now that would yeah, it would, 174 00:10:37,360 --> 00:10:41,559 Speaker 1: it would it would trigger the complex trauma. Yeah, yeah, 175 00:10:41,880 --> 00:10:44,000 Speaker 1: So what kinds of things do you feel like we 176 00:10:44,080 --> 00:10:47,400 Speaker 1: might be able to do well? What kinds of resources 177 00:10:47,400 --> 00:10:49,920 Speaker 1: maybe should we be trying to kind of store within 178 00:10:49,960 --> 00:10:53,400 Speaker 1: ourselves to try to work through some of this grief again, 179 00:10:53,440 --> 00:10:55,880 Speaker 1: because it is not kind of your simple grief, and 180 00:10:55,920 --> 00:10:58,599 Speaker 1: it's not happening simple being that there's no violent or 181 00:10:58,640 --> 00:11:01,480 Speaker 1: traumatic component to it. Given that that is not the case. 182 00:11:01,520 --> 00:11:03,360 Speaker 1: I think that it is so so important that we 183 00:11:03,400 --> 00:11:07,719 Speaker 1: give ourselves permission to seek professional support. I think that 184 00:11:07,720 --> 00:11:09,320 Speaker 1: that is going to be more important now than it 185 00:11:09,320 --> 00:11:12,760 Speaker 1: has ever been. Is that we are I think, real 186 00:11:12,880 --> 00:11:15,520 Speaker 1: with ourselves about what our coping strategies are. Some of 187 00:11:15,559 --> 00:11:18,600 Speaker 1: them they aren't working for us right now, right, and 188 00:11:18,640 --> 00:11:22,160 Speaker 1: so being able to kind of evaluate and be honest 189 00:11:22,200 --> 00:11:25,080 Speaker 1: about where we need support. I think we are so 190 00:11:25,559 --> 00:11:28,400 Speaker 1: used to helping others. This goes for us clinicians, but 191 00:11:28,480 --> 00:11:31,560 Speaker 1: also for everyday people. We're so used to helping others 192 00:11:31,559 --> 00:11:34,960 Speaker 1: that we haven't really cultivated a habit of receiving support. 193 00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:37,280 Speaker 1: And so when people are asking you how you're doing, 194 00:11:37,320 --> 00:11:39,600 Speaker 1: we're so used to saying I'm fine. So we're not 195 00:11:39,640 --> 00:11:42,079 Speaker 1: even telling the story or naming the thing that we're 196 00:11:42,080 --> 00:11:44,760 Speaker 1: struggling with, right, And so that's gonna be a big 197 00:11:44,800 --> 00:11:46,960 Speaker 1: part of it. A big part of grief work is 198 00:11:47,040 --> 00:11:49,959 Speaker 1: just naming the thing. Grief and trauma work is naming 199 00:11:50,480 --> 00:11:54,320 Speaker 1: the injury, the womb, wherever you the feelings, right, and 200 00:11:54,360 --> 00:11:56,800 Speaker 1: so that is going to be important. A lot of 201 00:11:56,840 --> 00:11:59,240 Speaker 1: times in grief work, we do this through narrative work 202 00:11:59,320 --> 00:12:02,880 Speaker 1: or storytelling it's important that we have spaces to do 203 00:12:02,960 --> 00:12:06,000 Speaker 1: that that aren't triggering to other people. And so one 204 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:08,560 Speaker 1: of the reasons that we want to create the habit 205 00:12:08,600 --> 00:12:10,840 Speaker 1: of talking about it is so that we don't do 206 00:12:10,880 --> 00:12:14,120 Speaker 1: the verbal vomit and that becomes overwhelming to whoever is 207 00:12:14,160 --> 00:12:17,719 Speaker 1: on the receiving end, because we've been storing up the 208 00:12:17,760 --> 00:12:21,679 Speaker 1: story that whoever listens longest gets it right. And so 209 00:12:21,800 --> 00:12:24,520 Speaker 1: if we're able to do that more often, whether it 210 00:12:24,559 --> 00:12:28,959 Speaker 1: be actually talking to people or support groups or journaling, 211 00:12:29,320 --> 00:12:31,600 Speaker 1: that we have a space to get it out so 212 00:12:31,760 --> 00:12:35,480 Speaker 1: it can metabolize in a place outside of our body, 213 00:12:35,559 --> 00:12:37,680 Speaker 1: so that we can make sense of it in a 214 00:12:37,720 --> 00:12:40,520 Speaker 1: way that isn't just holding onto it. And so that 215 00:12:40,559 --> 00:12:44,560 Speaker 1: piece is really really important again because if we hold 216 00:12:44,600 --> 00:12:47,120 Speaker 1: it, it it literally stores in our body and it affects 217 00:12:47,120 --> 00:12:50,480 Speaker 1: other It affects us on a global level. Right, finding 218 00:12:50,559 --> 00:12:54,200 Speaker 1: ways to be connected to the people who are good 219 00:12:54,240 --> 00:12:55,880 Speaker 1: for you, good in your life, and if we don't 220 00:12:55,920 --> 00:13:00,000 Speaker 1: have them, be intentional about seeking those communities and relationships 221 00:13:00,040 --> 00:13:04,199 Speaker 1: even in this socially distant space that is still possible, 222 00:13:04,320 --> 00:13:10,680 Speaker 1: utilizing technology, online, offline groups, um phone, things of that nature, 223 00:13:10,760 --> 00:13:13,840 Speaker 1: and so really being creative and leaning into that and 224 00:13:13,880 --> 00:13:16,640 Speaker 1: then in the name of loss, in the interests of 225 00:13:16,679 --> 00:13:20,920 Speaker 1: honoring that that we've lost, naming it, seeking support around 226 00:13:21,679 --> 00:13:26,240 Speaker 1: those experiences, as well as finding a way to find 227 00:13:26,280 --> 00:13:28,440 Speaker 1: meaning in that and not in the loss itself, but 228 00:13:28,520 --> 00:13:31,240 Speaker 1: in what life looks like afterwards. And this is the 229 00:13:31,280 --> 00:13:34,839 Speaker 1: part that is so important to the grief and healing work. 230 00:13:35,080 --> 00:13:37,360 Speaker 1: But that for some of us feels like it's escaping 231 00:13:37,480 --> 00:13:39,880 Speaker 1: us because our everyday world is changing. So how do 232 00:13:39,960 --> 00:13:44,160 Speaker 1: I find meaning in life post loss when I don't 233 00:13:44,200 --> 00:13:47,040 Speaker 1: even know what life looks like? And so in that instance, 234 00:13:47,080 --> 00:13:49,720 Speaker 1: what does it look like today? What are the things 235 00:13:49,720 --> 00:13:52,880 Speaker 1: that you can do or choose to not do today 236 00:13:52,920 --> 00:13:56,920 Speaker 1: that honors what you've lost? And so sometimes for some 237 00:13:57,040 --> 00:14:00,320 Speaker 1: of us, that's giving ourselves permission to not do things 238 00:14:00,320 --> 00:14:02,600 Speaker 1: that actually don't serve us anymore. We do them because 239 00:14:02,600 --> 00:14:04,319 Speaker 1: we're so used to doing them when we do them, 240 00:14:04,360 --> 00:14:08,680 Speaker 1: because of expectations around doing them right. This might be saying, 241 00:14:08,760 --> 00:14:11,320 Speaker 1: you know, today I actually the mental health to day 242 00:14:11,320 --> 00:14:13,920 Speaker 1: from my job, and yes I'm working from home, but 243 00:14:14,040 --> 00:14:16,360 Speaker 1: today I cannot do this work. And that may be 244 00:14:16,480 --> 00:14:19,040 Speaker 1: the best way you can honor where you are in 245 00:14:19,080 --> 00:14:22,240 Speaker 1: your grief journey today and tomorrow might present itself with 246 00:14:22,320 --> 00:14:26,240 Speaker 1: something new. What are the routines and the rhythms rather, 247 00:14:26,360 --> 00:14:29,520 Speaker 1: that you can re establish in your life based on 248 00:14:29,560 --> 00:14:33,840 Speaker 1: what your body and emotions are telling you that you need, right, 249 00:14:33,880 --> 00:14:37,520 Speaker 1: And so I've been helping clients create these routines that 250 00:14:37,880 --> 00:14:41,400 Speaker 1: create some predictability about their day because there's so much 251 00:14:41,600 --> 00:14:44,560 Speaker 1: that they know more that it's really important that we 252 00:14:44,680 --> 00:14:49,000 Speaker 1: find those when we can, because the essence of trauma 253 00:14:49,160 --> 00:14:53,040 Speaker 1: is a loss of safety, including the loss of routines, right, 254 00:14:53,520 --> 00:14:55,760 Speaker 1: And so the ways that we can capture those things 255 00:14:56,120 --> 00:14:59,200 Speaker 1: is really important to our overall sense of self. Yeah, 256 00:14:59,240 --> 00:15:01,000 Speaker 1: you know that remind as me as something you share 257 00:15:01,040 --> 00:15:03,680 Speaker 1: the last time you were here, just about how grief 258 00:15:03,760 --> 00:15:07,360 Speaker 1: often strikes the hardest at night, right when things have 259 00:15:07,440 --> 00:15:09,280 Speaker 1: kind of calmed down for the day and you know, 260 00:15:09,320 --> 00:15:12,040 Speaker 1: you're more kind of alone with your thoughts. But now 261 00:15:12,240 --> 00:15:15,040 Speaker 1: then night and day really kind of run together, and 262 00:15:15,080 --> 00:15:17,960 Speaker 1: it kind of feels hard to know when is cutting 263 00:15:17,960 --> 00:15:20,880 Speaker 1: off time, so to speak. I'm wondering if you're seeing 264 00:15:20,920 --> 00:15:24,840 Speaker 1: any differences in that I'm seeing it just to be 265 00:15:24,920 --> 00:15:28,000 Speaker 1: more pervasive, and it feels so intrusive because it's happening. 266 00:15:28,520 --> 00:15:31,120 Speaker 1: It's certainly still happening at night, because that's still when 267 00:15:31,160 --> 00:15:33,880 Speaker 1: we're most quiet, most still in your brains, like, hey, 268 00:15:34,240 --> 00:15:37,520 Speaker 1: you have time, you're available. Let's let's experience that or 269 00:15:37,600 --> 00:15:40,480 Speaker 1: let's work through that. But now, because we're not so 270 00:15:40,600 --> 00:15:45,080 Speaker 1: distracted by busy, right, whether it be our commute or extracurriculars, 271 00:15:45,120 --> 00:15:47,880 Speaker 1: whatever it is, the body is like, oh, we have time, right, 272 00:15:47,920 --> 00:15:51,800 Speaker 1: we're available, and so it feels intrusive because it catches 273 00:15:51,880 --> 00:15:55,000 Speaker 1: up off scar because we're doing something as monotonous is 274 00:15:55,000 --> 00:15:58,760 Speaker 1: washing dishes, um, we're not using the same kind of 275 00:15:58,760 --> 00:16:00,880 Speaker 1: capacity that we might be on when we were at 276 00:16:00,920 --> 00:16:03,640 Speaker 1: work or what have you, and so the body is 277 00:16:03,680 --> 00:16:07,200 Speaker 1: attempting to do repaired to work whenever it feels like 278 00:16:07,240 --> 00:16:09,960 Speaker 1: there's resources that can divert to doing that. And so 279 00:16:10,040 --> 00:16:13,120 Speaker 1: we're just seeing it happen, and combined with the fact 280 00:16:13,160 --> 00:16:18,160 Speaker 1: that we're exposed to stimuli because we're online, we're watching 281 00:16:18,200 --> 00:16:21,040 Speaker 1: the news, we're in these Facebook groups, were on Instagram, 282 00:16:21,120 --> 00:16:24,440 Speaker 1: all of these things is keeping us very much grounded 283 00:16:24,480 --> 00:16:27,000 Speaker 1: in the triggers, and so it makes sense that we're 284 00:16:27,000 --> 00:16:29,880 Speaker 1: being flooded throughout the day as well. Something else that 285 00:16:29,920 --> 00:16:32,320 Speaker 1: I believe has been contributing to our grief and trauma. 286 00:16:32,720 --> 00:16:36,040 Speaker 1: Is continuing to consume videos and stories about black people 287 00:16:36,120 --> 00:16:38,440 Speaker 1: dying at the hands of the police. Can you share 288 00:16:38,480 --> 00:16:40,800 Speaker 1: a little bit about the impact that might have on us? 289 00:16:41,000 --> 00:16:45,240 Speaker 1: And so we're consuming these this content throughout the day 290 00:16:45,280 --> 00:16:48,560 Speaker 1: that actually is negatively impacting us, right, and so it's 291 00:16:48,600 --> 00:16:53,560 Speaker 1: creating what we call a vicarious trauma response just by 292 00:16:53,600 --> 00:16:57,600 Speaker 1: the consumption of watching the videos or reading the articles 293 00:16:57,640 --> 00:17:00,840 Speaker 1: that detailed the deaths of the people, right the people 294 00:17:00,880 --> 00:17:03,440 Speaker 1: that we've lost, whether it be to COVID or due 295 00:17:03,440 --> 00:17:06,399 Speaker 1: to some of the racial and police brutality that's you know, 296 00:17:06,480 --> 00:17:09,560 Speaker 1: being amplified right now. And so that certainly is happening 297 00:17:09,840 --> 00:17:13,520 Speaker 1: because again, even if you aren't watching the video and 298 00:17:13,560 --> 00:17:16,720 Speaker 1: you're reading the stories or reading the Facebook post or 299 00:17:16,840 --> 00:17:19,600 Speaker 1: things like that, your body creates an image of what 300 00:17:19,720 --> 00:17:22,240 Speaker 1: you've heard, what you've seen, and it stores it in 301 00:17:22,280 --> 00:17:24,760 Speaker 1: your brain and your body. And so i vicarious trauma 302 00:17:24,880 --> 00:17:28,919 Speaker 1: or secondary trauma is created anytime we're hearing, watching, or 303 00:17:29,040 --> 00:17:33,760 Speaker 1: experiencing trauma through a means other than direct witnessing and victimization. 304 00:17:33,880 --> 00:17:37,200 Speaker 1: So it doesn't have to happen to you through secondary 305 00:17:37,280 --> 00:17:40,400 Speaker 1: vicarious exposure, you can develop the same symptoms of post 306 00:17:40,400 --> 00:17:43,080 Speaker 1: traumatic stress disorder. And so we've got to be mindful 307 00:17:43,080 --> 00:17:45,480 Speaker 1: of our own mental health and wellness as you honor 308 00:17:45,560 --> 00:17:48,320 Speaker 1: the lives that are being lost. You can bear witness 309 00:17:48,400 --> 00:17:51,960 Speaker 1: to to seeking justice without being witnessed to their injury 310 00:17:52,000 --> 00:17:54,680 Speaker 1: into their death. This is the point that I really 311 00:17:54,680 --> 00:17:58,639 Speaker 1: struggle with because I of course know that oftentimes it 312 00:17:58,720 --> 00:18:01,600 Speaker 1: doesn't feel like we can and even begin to get justice, 313 00:18:01,840 --> 00:18:05,560 Speaker 1: especially in the cases of these racial incidents, right, because 314 00:18:05,680 --> 00:18:08,439 Speaker 1: if there is not video, and so then in the 315 00:18:08,520 --> 00:18:11,560 Speaker 1: attempt to call attention to it and make sure if 316 00:18:11,640 --> 00:18:15,040 Speaker 1: something happens, people are sharing the video everywhere, right, And 317 00:18:15,080 --> 00:18:18,760 Speaker 1: I don't think that we always think about how psychologically 318 00:18:18,960 --> 00:18:23,480 Speaker 1: impactful ideas for us videos and stories and you know, 319 00:18:23,560 --> 00:18:28,040 Speaker 1: all in the call for justice. Absolutely it is traumatic, 320 00:18:28,280 --> 00:18:31,520 Speaker 1: It is absolutely traumatic. It is another piece that is 321 00:18:32,280 --> 00:18:36,160 Speaker 1: it's compounded by this race based component, right, because we 322 00:18:36,320 --> 00:18:40,120 Speaker 1: know history and president events tell us that if we 323 00:18:40,200 --> 00:18:43,680 Speaker 1: aren't advocating, right, and that that feels like the bearing 324 00:18:43,720 --> 00:18:47,600 Speaker 1: witness part, then other people will look at this video 325 00:18:47,680 --> 00:18:50,600 Speaker 1: and see something very different. And so we have felt 326 00:18:50,600 --> 00:18:55,120 Speaker 1: a responsibility to to witness, right, so that we can 327 00:18:55,160 --> 00:18:58,639 Speaker 1: be preservers of justice right, so that we can advocate, 328 00:18:59,040 --> 00:19:01,600 Speaker 1: and we do that by knowing. And so I think 329 00:19:01,680 --> 00:19:04,520 Speaker 1: also part of it is in in our own way, 330 00:19:04,560 --> 00:19:08,280 Speaker 1: wanting to make sure that that person that we've lost, 331 00:19:08,840 --> 00:19:11,800 Speaker 1: that they weren't alone, that their their life has meaning, 332 00:19:12,280 --> 00:19:15,280 Speaker 1: and we mistake that by by thinking that we have 333 00:19:15,440 --> 00:19:18,760 Speaker 1: to witness the thing that occurred right in order to 334 00:19:18,800 --> 00:19:21,840 Speaker 1: be able to fully tell their stories are fully seek 335 00:19:21,920 --> 00:19:25,320 Speaker 1: justice for them. Because there's such discrepancy in the way 336 00:19:25,359 --> 00:19:30,920 Speaker 1: these events are rules right or handled with the police, 337 00:19:31,200 --> 00:19:33,080 Speaker 1: and the way that they're covered in the media, and 338 00:19:33,119 --> 00:19:37,040 Speaker 1: so we have been become responsible for shaping their narrative 339 00:19:37,480 --> 00:19:39,720 Speaker 1: because we can't rely on those that we should be 340 00:19:39,760 --> 00:19:42,400 Speaker 1: able to. At least it's the feeling we can't rely 341 00:19:42,480 --> 00:19:44,679 Speaker 1: on the stories that are being told about us and 342 00:19:44,720 --> 00:19:47,240 Speaker 1: our loved ones and are those that we identify with, 343 00:19:47,280 --> 00:19:52,920 Speaker 1: because they have consistently misused the narrative. They've consistently mistold 344 00:19:52,960 --> 00:19:57,560 Speaker 1: the stories right, and that has been a contributing factor 345 00:19:57,640 --> 00:20:02,560 Speaker 1: to the miscarriage of justice. Hmm. Absolutely. So the other 346 00:20:02,600 --> 00:20:07,280 Speaker 1: thing that has been really upended throughout the coronavirus is 347 00:20:07,280 --> 00:20:10,879 Speaker 1: that we are not able to gather to send a 348 00:20:11,000 --> 00:20:13,520 Speaker 1: loved one off. You know, we love a good homegoing 349 00:20:13,640 --> 00:20:18,280 Speaker 1: service right when we have had to either forego that 350 00:20:18,359 --> 00:20:21,680 Speaker 1: all together or they look completely different. So can you 351 00:20:21,760 --> 00:20:24,600 Speaker 1: talk a little bit about how the change in that 352 00:20:24,760 --> 00:20:27,920 Speaker 1: ritual that we are used to is also impact and grief. 353 00:20:28,440 --> 00:20:32,400 Speaker 1: Mm hmm. Yeah, it is so complex. Again, I feel 354 00:20:32,400 --> 00:20:34,400 Speaker 1: like I keep using that word, but it's the best 355 00:20:34,480 --> 00:20:38,040 Speaker 1: way to describe it. The ambiguous nature and disconnect that 356 00:20:38,080 --> 00:20:41,920 Speaker 1: many are feeling in these funerals or rituals is profound. 357 00:20:42,640 --> 00:20:44,280 Speaker 1: I had a client. I'm going to blend some of 358 00:20:44,320 --> 00:20:47,239 Speaker 1: them together for the sake of confidentiality, but imagine kind 359 00:20:47,240 --> 00:20:49,119 Speaker 1: of being at a funeral for your grandmother and not 360 00:20:49,160 --> 00:20:51,680 Speaker 1: being able to console your mother because of a need 361 00:20:51,760 --> 00:20:54,399 Speaker 1: to keep her safe, and thus denying both of you 362 00:20:54,440 --> 00:20:58,679 Speaker 1: the comfort of touch and togetherness that we thrive on 363 00:20:58,800 --> 00:21:03,200 Speaker 1: contact emotionally and physically. We're relational being, but we're having 364 00:21:03,200 --> 00:21:06,320 Speaker 1: to choose between feeling connected and being safe. It's a 365 00:21:06,480 --> 00:21:09,240 Speaker 1: natural the body and the brain. They don't understand the 366 00:21:09,320 --> 00:21:14,520 Speaker 1: deprivation that we are required to maintain in the the 367 00:21:14,640 --> 00:21:17,679 Speaker 1: name of safety. The body is trained to survive, and 368 00:21:17,720 --> 00:21:20,560 Speaker 1: so what my concern is is that we are actively 369 00:21:20,720 --> 00:21:25,359 Speaker 1: and intentionally social social distancing. But it's desynthesizing ourselves with 370 00:21:25,440 --> 00:21:30,359 Speaker 1: repeated isolation and deprivation of touch and connectedness and community 371 00:21:30,640 --> 00:21:32,800 Speaker 1: that I think is going to further impact our ability 372 00:21:32,800 --> 00:21:35,920 Speaker 1: to emotionally regulate. We're already seeing this. We're seeing heightened 373 00:21:36,400 --> 00:21:40,200 Speaker 1: stimulation seeking behaviors such as eating and you know, consumption 374 00:21:40,200 --> 00:21:43,080 Speaker 1: of television and shopping, and so we're coping in other 375 00:21:43,119 --> 00:21:47,680 Speaker 1: ways because we're trying to connect. Right, We're seeking stimulation 376 00:21:48,040 --> 00:21:51,800 Speaker 1: because we've numbed ourselves against the disconnect and being able 377 00:21:51,840 --> 00:21:54,520 Speaker 1: to really be fully present with our loved ones and 378 00:21:54,640 --> 00:21:58,680 Speaker 1: honoring what's already a very difficult life transition of death, 379 00:21:58,920 --> 00:22:01,119 Speaker 1: a loss of job, or whatever it might be. And 380 00:22:01,200 --> 00:22:04,520 Speaker 1: so I'm concerned about that disconnect that we're having to 381 00:22:04,640 --> 00:22:08,040 Speaker 1: impose in the ways that we are training ourselves to 382 00:22:08,200 --> 00:22:11,520 Speaker 1: not be present because we can't be right um in 383 00:22:11,560 --> 00:22:14,480 Speaker 1: a full body experience way, because we have to disconnect 384 00:22:14,520 --> 00:22:17,520 Speaker 1: the physical from the emotional in order to remember to 385 00:22:17,640 --> 00:22:20,320 Speaker 1: maintain six ft of distance at a funeral. It is 386 00:22:20,320 --> 00:22:23,880 Speaker 1: a very unnatural thing. And so my concerns as doing 387 00:22:23,920 --> 00:22:27,080 Speaker 1: grief and trauma work is the reintegration component that I 388 00:22:27,119 --> 00:22:30,560 Speaker 1: believe will create some retriggering when we do have you know, 389 00:22:30,640 --> 00:22:33,560 Speaker 1: these delayed memorials that people are already looking forward to 390 00:22:33,640 --> 00:22:36,320 Speaker 1: our planning because they feel like the ones that they 391 00:22:36,359 --> 00:22:39,040 Speaker 1: did via zoom didn't do their love one justice or 392 00:22:39,400 --> 00:22:42,560 Speaker 1: they still need to do the in person when whenever 393 00:22:42,720 --> 00:22:46,640 Speaker 1: it's safe to do so. But the desensitization and the disconnect, 394 00:22:46,920 --> 00:22:49,760 Speaker 1: I think it's going to create a retriggering of mourning 395 00:22:50,080 --> 00:22:54,400 Speaker 1: and thus more complex trauma as we begin to reconcile 396 00:22:54,920 --> 00:22:58,119 Speaker 1: that we've actually the body has already gone through these feelings, 397 00:22:58,119 --> 00:23:01,760 Speaker 1: but we disconnected ourselves from it because we've had to um. 398 00:23:01,800 --> 00:23:04,440 Speaker 1: And so what happens when we attempt to reintegrate that 399 00:23:04,600 --> 00:23:06,800 Speaker 1: right and do we actually feel safe, are we able 400 00:23:06,840 --> 00:23:10,200 Speaker 1: to engage or will it become this a performative expression 401 00:23:10,240 --> 00:23:13,760 Speaker 1: component that leaves us feeling numb and disconnected all over again. 402 00:23:13,800 --> 00:23:18,520 Speaker 1: And so the reintegration of that not only traumon erat 403 00:23:18,560 --> 00:23:21,400 Speaker 1: a bit healing pieces where I'm kind of most concerned 404 00:23:21,400 --> 00:23:25,280 Speaker 1: about what that means for us long term. So I'm wondering, 405 00:23:25,600 --> 00:23:28,240 Speaker 1: when you are talking, when clients are maybe even for 406 00:23:28,440 --> 00:23:32,440 Speaker 1: people who are listening, should there maybe be a second 407 00:23:32,440 --> 00:23:35,480 Speaker 1: thought about whether there should be a more public gathering 408 00:23:35,520 --> 00:23:38,000 Speaker 1: when it's safe for us together if you've already had 409 00:23:38,040 --> 00:23:42,600 Speaker 1: like the Zoom memorial or something m H. I think people, 410 00:23:42,840 --> 00:23:45,600 Speaker 1: I think people need that UM, and so I have 411 00:23:45,840 --> 00:23:49,600 Speaker 1: continued to encourage clients to UM continue to plan those 412 00:23:49,640 --> 00:23:52,720 Speaker 1: but I have encouraged them to still do the work now. UM. 413 00:23:52,720 --> 00:23:55,720 Speaker 1: For some folks, because they haven't had the physical gathering 414 00:23:55,840 --> 00:23:59,240 Speaker 1: or they never even had a funeral, the loss isn't 415 00:23:59,280 --> 00:24:02,119 Speaker 1: actually real because COVID made it hard to see that 416 00:24:02,160 --> 00:24:04,760 Speaker 1: person anyway. And so I think that is going to 417 00:24:04,840 --> 00:24:08,399 Speaker 1: come full circle. I think preparing for that to be 418 00:24:08,720 --> 00:24:11,920 Speaker 1: a regrieving and retrigging experience is going to be important. 419 00:24:12,200 --> 00:24:15,160 Speaker 1: But thinking about what are the rituals and the grieving 420 00:24:15,200 --> 00:24:18,159 Speaker 1: traditions that we can still engage in. Right at the 421 00:24:18,240 --> 00:24:21,879 Speaker 1: core of some of those rituals or traditions is a purpose. 422 00:24:22,280 --> 00:24:26,200 Speaker 1: Can we identify what the purposes and still do that 423 00:24:26,440 --> 00:24:29,200 Speaker 1: in a different way? And so we have to reimagine 424 00:24:29,400 --> 00:24:31,639 Speaker 1: the ways that we can do the honoring and the 425 00:24:31,720 --> 00:24:36,280 Speaker 1: memorializing in the meantime right because I think not doing 426 00:24:36,320 --> 00:24:39,800 Speaker 1: it or not preparing ourselves for having to redo it 427 00:24:39,920 --> 00:24:43,280 Speaker 1: and that all of those feelings will feel brand new again. 428 00:24:43,880 --> 00:24:46,320 Speaker 1: Is preparing us to be really infected in ways that 429 00:24:46,359 --> 00:24:49,400 Speaker 1: we just can't anticipate, right, And so I think if 430 00:24:49,440 --> 00:24:52,919 Speaker 1: you can seek support again formally and informally, do that, now, 431 00:24:53,320 --> 00:24:56,720 Speaker 1: do the online gatherings, If you can do authentic check 432 00:24:56,760 --> 00:24:59,439 Speaker 1: ins and listening, how are you able to honor your 433 00:24:59,480 --> 00:25:02,440 Speaker 1: loved ones life today and what that means for your 434 00:25:02,480 --> 00:25:04,760 Speaker 1: life to the best of your ability. I think going 435 00:25:04,800 --> 00:25:08,160 Speaker 1: through those tasks is going to be really really important 436 00:25:08,760 --> 00:25:12,280 Speaker 1: because I would hate for someone to encounter those things 437 00:25:12,320 --> 00:25:15,399 Speaker 1: for the first time at that second memorial or whatever 438 00:25:15,440 --> 00:25:19,080 Speaker 1: it might be. Again, I'm concerned about the complexity and 439 00:25:19,080 --> 00:25:24,160 Speaker 1: the compounded factors that are likely to her mm hmmm. Yeah. 440 00:25:24,200 --> 00:25:26,000 Speaker 1: And I think the other thing, you know, kind of 441 00:25:26,000 --> 00:25:28,760 Speaker 1: going back to our earlier conversation about the fact that 442 00:25:28,840 --> 00:25:31,080 Speaker 1: grief is not just the loss of a loved one, 443 00:25:31,480 --> 00:25:35,000 Speaker 1: I think it is difficult for people to sometimes conceptualize 444 00:25:35,080 --> 00:25:38,920 Speaker 1: these other like symbolic lasses like you mentioned, because there 445 00:25:38,960 --> 00:25:41,840 Speaker 1: are so many rituals around the laws of a loved one, right, 446 00:25:41,880 --> 00:25:44,399 Speaker 1: Like we know the thing to do are the things 447 00:25:44,440 --> 00:25:47,680 Speaker 1: to do, and for more symbolic losses, there aren't those 448 00:25:47,680 --> 00:25:50,800 Speaker 1: same rituals or traditions. Are there things that you would 449 00:25:50,840 --> 00:25:54,320 Speaker 1: suggest that people can maybe facilitate for themselves or with 450 00:25:54,440 --> 00:25:57,120 Speaker 1: their support system or with their therapists as a way 451 00:25:57,160 --> 00:26:02,280 Speaker 1: to have some tradition and ritual around these symbolic losses. Yeah, 452 00:26:02,320 --> 00:26:04,959 Speaker 1: and so a lot of these are around. You know, 453 00:26:05,160 --> 00:26:08,679 Speaker 1: if it's a loss of a relationship, there's things that 454 00:26:08,720 --> 00:26:12,080 Speaker 1: we can do. We lose parts of ourselves and relationships 455 00:26:12,080 --> 00:26:14,960 Speaker 1: even when they're good, right, and so there's a reclaiming 456 00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:18,080 Speaker 1: process that we can go through. There's a self discovery 457 00:26:18,200 --> 00:26:21,960 Speaker 1: or rediscovery process. You know, there's a cleansing process that's 458 00:26:21,960 --> 00:26:25,399 Speaker 1: a part of rituals in mourning when they're symbolic. That 459 00:26:25,440 --> 00:26:28,560 Speaker 1: can apply to a variety of different losses. It really 460 00:26:28,600 --> 00:26:31,439 Speaker 1: depends on what the losses and what we're wanting to 461 00:26:32,080 --> 00:26:36,760 Speaker 1: maybe restore or renew. I think identifying what we want 462 00:26:36,800 --> 00:26:39,399 Speaker 1: life to look like for ourselves, what are the things 463 00:26:39,600 --> 00:26:42,640 Speaker 1: that are potential barriers and being able to do kind 464 00:26:42,640 --> 00:26:45,480 Speaker 1: of our own self work. Sometimes we have a lot 465 00:26:45,520 --> 00:26:49,760 Speaker 1: of guilt. That's actually a very common emotion and shame around. 466 00:26:50,320 --> 00:26:53,160 Speaker 1: You know, if we lost our job right during this pandemic, 467 00:26:53,200 --> 00:26:55,520 Speaker 1: there's a lot of shame in how much of our 468 00:26:55,560 --> 00:26:58,479 Speaker 1: identity is wrapped in that job, and so what are 469 00:26:58,520 --> 00:27:01,680 Speaker 1: the way or sometimes we stay to the job too long, right, 470 00:27:01,760 --> 00:27:04,439 Speaker 1: or we feel like we have given our best years 471 00:27:04,560 --> 00:27:07,280 Speaker 1: to a job that didn't value us or whatever, And 472 00:27:07,359 --> 00:27:10,919 Speaker 1: so one honoring that that sense of loss, but also 473 00:27:11,359 --> 00:27:15,439 Speaker 1: giving yourself permission to reimagine the ways your skill sets 474 00:27:15,520 --> 00:27:18,520 Speaker 1: or your passions are still alive and and can be 475 00:27:18,640 --> 00:27:22,000 Speaker 1: kind of recreated in different experiences. Right, but we still 476 00:27:22,040 --> 00:27:24,720 Speaker 1: have to read those losses, and so I think giving 477 00:27:24,720 --> 00:27:28,479 Speaker 1: yourself permission to not discount the symbolic loss and go 478 00:27:28,600 --> 00:27:31,159 Speaker 1: through the normal mourning process like you live with the 479 00:27:31,160 --> 00:27:34,280 Speaker 1: physical loss, and then what does life look like post that? 480 00:27:34,440 --> 00:27:38,160 Speaker 1: I think COVID is making that interesting for us because 481 00:27:38,200 --> 00:27:39,840 Speaker 1: we just don't know what the day to day is 482 00:27:39,840 --> 00:27:41,879 Speaker 1: going to look like. But there are still things that 483 00:27:41,920 --> 00:27:44,480 Speaker 1: we can do, um whether they be going back for 484 00:27:44,480 --> 00:27:47,720 Speaker 1: additional training or for some of us, it's giving us 485 00:27:48,040 --> 00:27:50,680 Speaker 1: space to be and to not do for the very 486 00:27:50,720 --> 00:27:53,879 Speaker 1: first time in our life and being able to be 487 00:27:53,920 --> 00:27:56,520 Speaker 1: okay with that that Sometimes that's that might be exactly 488 00:27:56,520 --> 00:27:59,720 Speaker 1: what we need if we have the room to explore 489 00:27:59,840 --> 00:28:02,680 Speaker 1: that at because we have been doing for so long 490 00:28:03,080 --> 00:28:05,200 Speaker 1: that what might it look like if we're actually still 491 00:28:05,240 --> 00:28:08,560 Speaker 1: on purpose. What might we find and learn about ourselves 492 00:28:08,600 --> 00:28:11,359 Speaker 1: about what we actually desire for us when we're able 493 00:28:11,440 --> 00:28:13,639 Speaker 1: to do that? And so I think that's a unique 494 00:28:13,640 --> 00:28:17,480 Speaker 1: process for everyone, and giving yourself the space to explore 495 00:28:17,560 --> 00:28:20,320 Speaker 1: that with someone that can do grief work with you. So, 496 00:28:20,400 --> 00:28:22,040 Speaker 1: you know, the other thing that I have been thinking 497 00:28:22,119 --> 00:28:26,359 Speaker 1: about throughout our conversation is just how you know, like 498 00:28:26,400 --> 00:28:30,440 Speaker 1: you mentioned, we are all experiencing some level of collective 499 00:28:30,520 --> 00:28:34,760 Speaker 1: grief related to everything that is happening, and how a 500 00:28:34,800 --> 00:28:38,360 Speaker 1: lot of our bandwidths are very low at this point, right, 501 00:28:38,400 --> 00:28:41,920 Speaker 1: and so usually you know, within your sphere of support, 502 00:28:42,200 --> 00:28:44,560 Speaker 1: you know, somebody is kind of wonderful tank and so 503 00:28:44,600 --> 00:28:46,880 Speaker 1: they can be there a little bit more for other people, 504 00:28:46,960 --> 00:28:50,560 Speaker 1: right and now, probably most of us are operating at 505 00:28:50,560 --> 00:28:53,560 Speaker 1: a half tank or lower. And so I'm wondering if 506 00:28:53,600 --> 00:28:56,680 Speaker 1: you have ideas about how we can continue to take 507 00:28:56,680 --> 00:28:59,520 Speaker 1: care of ourselves so that we can continue to show up, 508 00:28:59,760 --> 00:29:01,959 Speaker 1: but also how we might be able to stay at 509 00:29:02,000 --> 00:29:05,000 Speaker 1: boundaries when we want to be able to be there 510 00:29:05,080 --> 00:29:08,800 Speaker 1: to support somebody who might be greeting yeah again, I'm 511 00:29:08,840 --> 00:29:12,720 Speaker 1: a big fan of therapy, your faith, exercise. Those are 512 00:29:12,760 --> 00:29:14,600 Speaker 1: all different things that you can do to take care 513 00:29:14,640 --> 00:29:18,760 Speaker 1: of yourself. Journaling, um, some of the normal coping stuff, right, 514 00:29:18,800 --> 00:29:23,320 Speaker 1: but also giving yourself permission to disconnect. Right, So giving 515 00:29:23,360 --> 00:29:26,880 Speaker 1: yourself some downtime, again, not when you're sick and worn out, 516 00:29:26,920 --> 00:29:31,280 Speaker 1: but again in a in a way to restore yourself. Um. 517 00:29:31,320 --> 00:29:36,040 Speaker 1: Giving yourself space for creative things. Storytelling, music and art 518 00:29:36,080 --> 00:29:41,640 Speaker 1: are really restorative practices therapeutically, both formally as well as informally. 519 00:29:42,480 --> 00:29:45,160 Speaker 1: I think that listening to your body. I talk about 520 00:29:45,280 --> 00:29:47,240 Speaker 1: routines a lot, but I think in this space we 521 00:29:47,320 --> 00:29:50,960 Speaker 1: have to be intentional about rhythms. And so given that 522 00:29:51,000 --> 00:29:53,480 Speaker 1: our day to day is changing, the routines might feel 523 00:29:54,040 --> 00:29:56,080 Speaker 1: outside of our reach. But if we listen to the 524 00:29:56,160 --> 00:30:01,440 Speaker 1: rhythm of your body and just really getting connected but self. 525 00:30:01,440 --> 00:30:03,800 Speaker 1: Your body tells you what it eats. And sometimes it's 526 00:30:03,800 --> 00:30:06,560 Speaker 1: a midday nap, right, and not as a way to escape, 527 00:30:07,000 --> 00:30:09,400 Speaker 1: but because we actually didn't sleep well last night. Because 528 00:30:09,400 --> 00:30:12,480 Speaker 1: that gets disrupted too in the midst of grief and trauma, right, 529 00:30:12,520 --> 00:30:16,160 Speaker 1: And so listening to those rhythms is really important. Sometimes 530 00:30:16,160 --> 00:30:18,640 Speaker 1: your body needs movement you feel it because your hips 531 00:30:18,680 --> 00:30:21,840 Speaker 1: feel like they're backing up, you lose sensation in your toes. 532 00:30:22,280 --> 00:30:24,680 Speaker 1: You need to move your body listen to that rhythm. 533 00:30:24,840 --> 00:30:27,400 Speaker 1: And so those are some self care things that I 534 00:30:27,400 --> 00:30:31,239 Speaker 1: think are important. I also think giving us again, a 535 00:30:31,280 --> 00:30:34,360 Speaker 1: lot of this is mindset. We have been trained in 536 00:30:34,480 --> 00:30:38,320 Speaker 1: condition to be available and accessible. That actually isn't what 537 00:30:38,400 --> 00:30:41,600 Speaker 1: most people need from you. People benefit from you having 538 00:30:41,640 --> 00:30:45,080 Speaker 1: good boundaries, and sometimes it is our lack of boundaries 539 00:30:45,120 --> 00:30:47,480 Speaker 1: that keeps people in a place where they feel co 540 00:30:47,600 --> 00:30:50,600 Speaker 1: dependent on us, because we have a need to feel needed, right, 541 00:30:51,040 --> 00:30:53,080 Speaker 1: And so I think boundaries are your best friend. They 542 00:30:53,120 --> 00:30:55,440 Speaker 1: have to be, And it's not about creating a barrier 543 00:30:55,480 --> 00:30:59,720 Speaker 1: to access in you. It's about creating a boundary around 544 00:30:59,760 --> 00:31:02,959 Speaker 1: your resources and conserving that so that it can be 545 00:31:03,080 --> 00:31:07,960 Speaker 1: used more effectively for those who actually needed, including yourself. Right, 546 00:31:08,200 --> 00:31:11,600 Speaker 1: creating a boundary around access, whether it be you act 547 00:31:11,840 --> 00:31:15,720 Speaker 1: giving information or receiving information. I think boundaries are really 548 00:31:15,720 --> 00:31:18,040 Speaker 1: really important. They get a bad rap, but they are 549 00:31:18,200 --> 00:31:21,880 Speaker 1: so important for keeping you intact. I think those are 550 00:31:21,920 --> 00:31:25,120 Speaker 1: some of the things that we want to be intentional about. 551 00:31:25,720 --> 00:31:29,560 Speaker 1: Is intentionally being not available so that you can refill 552 00:31:29,640 --> 00:31:33,440 Speaker 1: your own cup is important, especially because none of us 553 00:31:33,440 --> 00:31:37,200 Speaker 1: are unaffected. I also think that it's really really important 554 00:31:37,280 --> 00:31:39,959 Speaker 1: that we are mindful about the ways we are evaluating 555 00:31:40,000 --> 00:31:43,280 Speaker 1: the way other people are coping or dealing, because I've 556 00:31:43,360 --> 00:31:47,200 Speaker 1: seen friendships unravel in the midst of trauma and chaos 557 00:31:47,240 --> 00:31:51,000 Speaker 1: because we are not clear that somebody is in it 558 00:31:51,080 --> 00:31:53,000 Speaker 1: with us or they're not available in the ways we 559 00:31:53,040 --> 00:31:55,840 Speaker 1: need them to. But if we can just remember that 560 00:31:55,880 --> 00:31:58,720 Speaker 1: we're all doing the best that we can and our 561 00:31:58,760 --> 00:32:01,080 Speaker 1: grief looks different, does I mean we're not doing it. 562 00:32:01,080 --> 00:32:04,360 Speaker 1: It just means it's different, and it's important that we 563 00:32:04,480 --> 00:32:09,600 Speaker 1: don't impose our values on other people's great process. Mm hmmm. 564 00:32:10,400 --> 00:32:13,960 Speaker 1: So several times throughout this conversation, Dr Robinson, you said, 565 00:32:14,640 --> 00:32:17,280 Speaker 1: this is what I'm concerned about on the other side 566 00:32:17,320 --> 00:32:19,960 Speaker 1: of this, right, And so, of course I'm not asking 567 00:32:19,960 --> 00:32:23,840 Speaker 1: you necessarily to read into our future, but I am 568 00:32:23,880 --> 00:32:26,600 Speaker 1: curious about some of the things that you think we 569 00:32:26,640 --> 00:32:28,920 Speaker 1: will have to be making sure we're paying attention to 570 00:32:29,440 --> 00:32:31,680 Speaker 1: as we kind of come out of sheltering in place 571 00:32:31,800 --> 00:32:34,000 Speaker 1: and you know, things start to open up a little 572 00:32:34,000 --> 00:32:36,120 Speaker 1: bit more. What kinds of things do you think we 573 00:32:36,240 --> 00:32:38,680 Speaker 1: do need to be paying attention to or might expect 574 00:32:38,880 --> 00:32:42,640 Speaker 1: related to grief. Mm hmmm. I think being retriggered. It's 575 00:32:42,680 --> 00:32:46,360 Speaker 1: going to be a big one, being retriggered by everyday things, right, 576 00:32:46,400 --> 00:32:50,640 Speaker 1: and so it may be having some anticipatory grief around 577 00:32:50,680 --> 00:32:54,040 Speaker 1: going back to work. That is it's normal, right, It's 578 00:32:54,080 --> 00:32:57,080 Speaker 1: it's it is normal in general. It is heightened in 579 00:32:57,160 --> 00:33:01,600 Speaker 1: this setting because COVID hasn't gone way, right, and because 580 00:33:01,920 --> 00:33:05,400 Speaker 1: we have this additional layer around the injustice and and 581 00:33:05,440 --> 00:33:08,680 Speaker 1: still navigating what life looks like as we embark on 582 00:33:09,400 --> 00:33:11,880 Speaker 1: kind of rewriting some of the fabric of our society, right, 583 00:33:11,920 --> 00:33:13,920 Speaker 1: and so we may not be sure how we're going 584 00:33:13,960 --> 00:33:15,800 Speaker 1: to be treated if we walk into the grocery store 585 00:33:15,880 --> 00:33:19,720 Speaker 1: or other spaces. Right, all of those things creates anticipatory 586 00:33:19,760 --> 00:33:23,120 Speaker 1: group but also some anxiety around that. But knowing that 587 00:33:23,200 --> 00:33:26,320 Speaker 1: the anxiety comes with the grief, right, the loss of normality, 588 00:33:26,680 --> 00:33:30,280 Speaker 1: loss of the norms, loss of structure, all of those things. 589 00:33:30,760 --> 00:33:34,080 Speaker 1: I think being acutely aware of what our triggers are 590 00:33:34,160 --> 00:33:37,480 Speaker 1: and knowing that those can change, we have been removed, 591 00:33:37,520 --> 00:33:41,520 Speaker 1: particularly thinking about our kids. Are even adults who generally 592 00:33:41,560 --> 00:33:45,800 Speaker 1: have let's say society or situational based triggers. They've likely 593 00:33:45,880 --> 00:33:48,720 Speaker 1: not been encountering those triggers because they've been at home 594 00:33:49,080 --> 00:33:51,760 Speaker 1: where most folks may not experience those triggers that they 595 00:33:51,760 --> 00:33:54,400 Speaker 1: experience in the workplace or in school or just out 596 00:33:54,440 --> 00:33:57,440 Speaker 1: in society in general. So we've not had to practice 597 00:33:57,440 --> 00:34:00,920 Speaker 1: our coping mechanisms around them, and so we might feel 598 00:34:00,960 --> 00:34:04,800 Speaker 1: ill equipped or be compensate right in the face of 599 00:34:04,840 --> 00:34:08,920 Speaker 1: those and so again that's another regrieving or retrigger. I 600 00:34:08,960 --> 00:34:13,759 Speaker 1: think other pieces around heightened anxiety, we're already seeing some 601 00:34:13,840 --> 00:34:19,480 Speaker 1: impacts of social licensation isolation on increased suicidality. I think 602 00:34:19,560 --> 00:34:22,400 Speaker 1: that UM and many of the reports are indicating this 603 00:34:22,560 --> 00:34:24,799 Speaker 1: that the next wave of this pandemic is going to 604 00:34:24,800 --> 00:34:28,080 Speaker 1: be on the mental health front. It's already here. We 605 00:34:28,160 --> 00:34:31,960 Speaker 1: haven't even talked about the ways our kids are grieving, 606 00:34:31,960 --> 00:34:34,600 Speaker 1: in the ways that they are missed, in the sheer 607 00:34:34,640 --> 00:34:39,839 Speaker 1: amount of under the level of under resources right where 608 00:34:39,920 --> 00:34:45,000 Speaker 1: we are under resourced to help kids in general with 609 00:34:45,200 --> 00:34:47,799 Speaker 1: understanding the language and what grief looks like for them. 610 00:34:47,880 --> 00:34:49,719 Speaker 1: And so I think those are all things that we 611 00:34:49,800 --> 00:34:53,760 Speaker 1: will have to grapple with sooner rather than later, because 612 00:34:53,760 --> 00:34:56,759 Speaker 1: we've not we have been so inundated with just being 613 00:34:56,920 --> 00:35:00,239 Speaker 1: safe that we haven't even had an opportunity to be well, 614 00:35:00,800 --> 00:35:03,160 Speaker 1: And so I think that we have we're going to 615 00:35:03,239 --> 00:35:05,279 Speaker 1: have to re emerge that what does it look like 616 00:35:05,360 --> 00:35:07,759 Speaker 1: to do more than survive? Because that's where we have been. 617 00:35:07,800 --> 00:35:10,680 Speaker 1: We have been in survival mode right as people trying 618 00:35:10,680 --> 00:35:13,600 Speaker 1: to stay safe from COVID as black and brown people 619 00:35:13,640 --> 00:35:16,279 Speaker 1: in this country. What happens when we have to go 620 00:35:16,320 --> 00:35:18,799 Speaker 1: back to day to day functioning, whatever that looks like, 621 00:35:19,160 --> 00:35:22,560 Speaker 1: and we're expected to really produce them to thrive and 622 00:35:22,600 --> 00:35:25,400 Speaker 1: we don't have the coping skills to do so we 623 00:35:25,440 --> 00:35:27,799 Speaker 1: don't even know what that looks like anymore. Those are 624 00:35:27,800 --> 00:35:30,880 Speaker 1: the things that I'm concerned about from a very real, 625 00:35:31,239 --> 00:35:37,400 Speaker 1: tangible perspective. Yeah. Absolutely, so. Are there any additional resources 626 00:35:37,400 --> 00:35:39,520 Speaker 1: you share LASS with us last time, But are there 627 00:35:39,520 --> 00:35:42,279 Speaker 1: any new resources or things that you think people might 628 00:35:42,360 --> 00:35:45,040 Speaker 1: want to check out given what we talked about today? 629 00:35:45,480 --> 00:35:49,200 Speaker 1: Mm hmmm um. And so I think that being connected 630 00:35:49,280 --> 00:35:52,319 Speaker 1: with NAMI, so the National Alliance Come Mental Illness, they 631 00:35:52,400 --> 00:35:56,359 Speaker 1: have and can access resource groups such as support groups 632 00:35:56,400 --> 00:35:59,880 Speaker 1: all over the country. The Association for Death Education Counselors 633 00:35:59,880 --> 00:36:03,520 Speaker 1: that for clinicians, but to be trained in in doing 634 00:36:03,520 --> 00:36:08,080 Speaker 1: some grief work as well as to identify UH clinicians 635 00:36:08,080 --> 00:36:11,200 Speaker 1: who are trained in grief work. So UM, I also 636 00:36:11,360 --> 00:36:14,439 Speaker 1: have a book in a in a training series coming 637 00:36:14,440 --> 00:36:17,400 Speaker 1: out called The Gift of Grief UM. The workbook actually 638 00:36:17,400 --> 00:36:20,000 Speaker 1: is free and available already. The book will be out 639 00:36:20,080 --> 00:36:22,920 Speaker 1: shortly UM where we will we will be doing some 640 00:36:22,960 --> 00:36:25,760 Speaker 1: of the work around training clinicians as well as parents 641 00:36:25,760 --> 00:36:29,160 Speaker 1: and educators on recognizing grief in the workplace, in the 642 00:36:29,200 --> 00:36:32,640 Speaker 1: school environment, in in clinical practice. And so I think 643 00:36:32,640 --> 00:36:34,239 Speaker 1: one of the best things that we can do is 644 00:36:34,280 --> 00:36:37,080 Speaker 1: to be able from a personal perspective to really do 645 00:36:37,160 --> 00:36:40,520 Speaker 1: the work UM, to identify what your lost history is, 646 00:36:40,600 --> 00:36:44,080 Speaker 1: what you're coping strategy, is your trauma history, so that 647 00:36:44,239 --> 00:36:47,160 Speaker 1: you can get the support that you need UM. And 648 00:36:47,200 --> 00:36:50,120 Speaker 1: from a clinical perspective, we have to build a capacity. 649 00:36:50,200 --> 00:36:52,960 Speaker 1: For a very long time, clinicians have been saying, I 650 00:36:53,000 --> 00:36:56,319 Speaker 1: don't do grief work, and my response has always been, 651 00:36:56,360 --> 00:36:59,200 Speaker 1: if you work with people, you do grief work. That 652 00:36:59,320 --> 00:37:02,279 Speaker 1: is being called to roost now UM, and we are 653 00:37:02,320 --> 00:37:04,840 Speaker 1: scrambling to get educated and to get trained. Now is 654 00:37:04,920 --> 00:37:07,359 Speaker 1: the time to do that UM. And so looking at 655 00:37:07,440 --> 00:37:12,360 Speaker 1: some of these programs UM, either through universities or UM. 656 00:37:12,400 --> 00:37:14,600 Speaker 1: Some of the formal other programs in grief I think 657 00:37:14,640 --> 00:37:17,120 Speaker 1: are going to be important for us to access great 658 00:37:17,160 --> 00:37:19,280 Speaker 1: and of course we will include all of those resources 659 00:37:19,280 --> 00:37:21,719 Speaker 1: in our show notes. And where can we find you? 660 00:37:21,920 --> 00:37:24,680 Speaker 1: Dr Robinson? What are your social media handles as well 661 00:37:24,719 --> 00:37:28,280 Speaker 1: as your website? Absolutely so, I am Dr a Jetta 662 00:37:28,440 --> 00:37:32,720 Speaker 1: on Facebook, dcor a Jetta Robinson Instagram and missa Jetta 663 00:37:32,760 --> 00:37:35,600 Speaker 1: on Twitter and a Jetta Robinson dot com is my 664 00:37:35,680 --> 00:37:39,080 Speaker 1: website perfect. Thank you so much for joining us again 665 00:37:39,080 --> 00:37:41,640 Speaker 1: and for sharing your wealth of knowledge. I appreciate it. 666 00:37:41,960 --> 00:37:43,759 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for doing this work and for 667 00:37:43,800 --> 00:37:48,960 Speaker 1: having music guest. I'm so glad Dr Robinson was able 668 00:37:49,000 --> 00:37:51,799 Speaker 1: to join us again this week. Don't forget to visit 669 00:37:51,840 --> 00:37:54,160 Speaker 1: the show notes at Therapy for Black Girls dot Com 670 00:37:54,280 --> 00:37:58,040 Speaker 1: slash Session one sixty two to learn more about her art, 671 00:37:58,040 --> 00:38:01,200 Speaker 1: to grab a copy of her workbook, and please share 672 00:38:01,239 --> 00:38:04,040 Speaker 1: your takeaways with us on social media using the hashtag 673 00:38:04,320 --> 00:38:08,400 Speaker 1: tb G in session. If you're looking for a therapist 674 00:38:08,440 --> 00:38:11,320 Speaker 1: in your area, be sure to check out our therapist 675 00:38:11,360 --> 00:38:15,120 Speaker 1: directory at Therapy for Black Girls dot com slash directory. 676 00:38:16,080 --> 00:38:18,360 Speaker 1: And if you want to continue digging, into this topic 677 00:38:18,760 --> 00:38:21,640 Speaker 1: and connect with some other sisters in your area. Come 678 00:38:21,680 --> 00:38:24,000 Speaker 1: on over and join us in the Yellow Couch Collective 679 00:38:24,400 --> 00:38:26,759 Speaker 1: where we take a deeper dive into the topics from 680 00:38:26,760 --> 00:38:30,399 Speaker 1: the podcast and just about everything else. You can join 681 00:38:30,520 --> 00:38:33,279 Speaker 1: us at Therapy for Black Girls dot com slash y 682 00:38:33,360 --> 00:38:36,640 Speaker 1: c C. Thank you all so much for joining me 683 00:38:36,680 --> 00:38:39,319 Speaker 1: again this week. I look forward to continue in this 684 00:38:39,440 --> 00:38:42,799 Speaker 1: conversation with you all real soon. Take good care,