Perspectives
SCG Staff Articles
Mental Illness Awareness Week 2022
Established in 1990 by Congress, the first full week in each October is Mental Illness Awareness Week. All of us in this country, in one way or another, are affected by mental illness, and if you’re reading this, you no doubt know intimately and personally, the devastating effects thereof. The figures and statistics (1 in 5 adults and 1 in 6 children age 6-17 experience mental illness each year in the US {https://www.nami.org/mhstats}) are so large that it’s almost impossible to take in, to comprehend the scope of the issue.
Saying Goodbye
Let’s face it. There is nothing harder than saying goodbye. Whether it is the process of grieving a loved one, moving away from your chosen family or even ending an evening with friends---we all struggle with how to say goodbye. I see our society’s issues with goodbyes throughout my counseling practice. Working with people on why it hurts so much to be ghosted by a date or a friend fighting for time off work after a difficult loss. Sadly, we often avoid the goodbyes in our personal, professional, and even in our therapeutic relationships.
The Loss of a Grandchild
If you come to a place of devastating pain in your life, may you be blessed “with the healing of heart, mind, and soul” by the therapists at Sanctuary Counseling Group, God bless you in all your life.
What to Say or Do When a Child Dies
Any time someone is experiencing grief, we all struggle with how to address it. It is hard to know what to say or do to ease the pain of the person. When someone or a couple loses a pregnancy, infant, or child, the difficulty is compounded. We feel completely inadequate in our endeavors to comfort or console them. Words are not enough or seem trite, worn, or inappropriate. Our actions seem to be “too little, too late” or completely insufficient.