The Heart of Grief
The Heart of Grief
Cover Up or Open Up? Resolving Negative Emotions
Healthy grieving requires that we address difficult emotions head on.
Following a significant loss, our minds begin to review the relationship or the circumstances of the loss. Our various memories will prompt both enjoyable and distressing feelings. The enjoyable memories may lead to sadness that our loved one is no longer with us, yet the enjoyable memories themselves and the associated feelings are good. But what about the difficult memories and associated distressing feelings? Often, we hear from well-meaning people or think to ourselves “just focus on the happy memories… Just forget those painful ones and stick with the positive.”
But, can we just dismiss them like that? What happens when we attempt to remember only the positive? Is there a better way than the way of cover it up and press it down?
Karla McLaren: The Myth of Negative Emotions