Grief and Loss

1. Sal has been dealing with loss since he was 7 years old. With Sal’s losses he will experience feelings of anxiety, anger, hopelessness and fear. Sal will need to learn that some people don't allow themselves to grieve. They hold it in, only to have it negatively affect them for the rest of their lives. Some people tend to wallow in their grief for too long, unable to adjust. Here’s where Sal may have started drinking in an effort to eliminate his unwanted situations of loss. Although the grieving process is different for each individual, it is imperative that grief be worked through.

My goal was to help Sal understand that loss can be perceived in several different ways. I explained to Sal that loss is not only death, but it can be giving up something that is familiar to him, such as relationships, an addiction, or abuse. I wanted him to recognize that grief is cumulative; however, it is a normal behavior.

Sal has already taken the first step in seeking out help or support. He will need to take care of himself by acknowledging his feelings and expressing his feelings in a positive way. Positive expressions can be crying, exercising, or writing in a journal. I will help him understand that loss is growth and that every new beginning starts with an ending. Where he last left off, it is alright to let go. Change can be good. Lastly, Sal needs to plan ahead for triggers. Anniversaries, holidays, and milestones can rekindle memories and feelings. He will need to be able to reorganize around that which is lost and reinvest in life, taking on new meanings even though the loss has not been forgotten.

An intervention that I would use would be to see if his children would be willing to accompany Sal to a therapy session. An effort to mend his parental responsibilities may help prevent him from returning back to drinking.

3. Tom Smith who is English/Irish comes from a culture that is very prideful but had also been oppressed when they arrived to the U.S....