BPC Monthly Newsletter Finding Your Way... Through Loss or Change Tools for Optimizing Emotional & Mental Wellness March 2005 Issue In this issue: Loss and Transition BPC Announcements Community Notes Additional Links Finding Your Way CD Welcome... Adjusting to loss or change, even if anticipated, can often result in an unexpected flood of emotions, and although these upheavals are normal, they often do not feel as if they are. This month we take a look at some ways to help you through loss, grief or transition. There are links at the end of the newsletter for more information on the process of grieving, loss of a pet and helping children with grief. Life is a process of constant change. Trying to keep things from changing, is not only impossible, but also exhausting. Dorothy Ashman & the entire staff of Bloomsburg Psychological Center, LLC Loss & Transition Grieving The death of a loved one, the loss of a pet, the end of a relationship, a job change, even a move to a new home may all require the process of grieving to help us adjust to the change. Grieving may look and feel different to each of us, vary from day to day in its intensity, and often surprise us with rapid moods swings and unexpected feelings. Grieving does not happen in tidy stages, but often bounces back and forth among all or most of the followings emotions before we find a way to move on. Disbelief The thought "I can't believe this happened" can pop up when we first hear about the loss as well as days and even weeks later. Guilt/Self Blame Even when we logically know there was nothing we could have done to prevent the loss, our mind sometimes get stuck on "what-if-ing", trying to imagine someway we could have done something differently. Bargaining Sometimes we try to reverse the loss by bargaining with God. We may offer to do something difficult or give up something precious if God will prevent or reverse the loss. Sadness Tears, isolating and loneliness are the aspects of grief that we most often recognize and expect with loss. Anger Many people don't realized that anger is a natural part of any transition. We can be angry about the loss, angry with God, even angry with ourselves. After awhile, we eventually arrive at a place where we can accept the transition and adopt to the change. This does not mean that we are "OK" with the loss, just that we have found a way to move on. One of the most powerful articles I have read on transition is entitled Fear of Transformation and is posted here on our website. Even if you are not in the midst of loss or change presently, you may want to bookmark this page. BPC Announcements Ronda Barto, LSW offers a Women's Depression Group every Monday evening at BPC. Most insurance policies cover this group and we will be happy to research your benefits. Call us at 570-387-1832 to see if this group might be appropriate for you. Need extra support? Our area is well supplied with Free Support Groups and Services that can get you connected with other people in similar situations. Our website contains a list of all of the free groups we have heard of. If you know of any that we have missed, please call us at 570-387-1832 and give us the information. Although we confirm the information with each group once a year, we suggest checking with the contact number to make sure the time or location of the meeting has not changed. Community Notes 5K Walk/Run for Mental Health Saturday, April 16. This is an extremely important fund raiser for the Mental Health Association/Compeer of the Central Susquehanna Valley. www.mhacsv.org Please help raise awareness and funding for this important organization. Tsunami Aid Concert by BU students, March 30th, 7:30 PM, Kehr Union Ballroom. Performers include Martin Pastor (organizer), the Husky Choir, Chamber Choir, Vogue Select Women's choir, the Absent Quarter men's a cappella group, Soul Purpose R&B, the BU Dance Competition Team, BU Breakers, and Drew Nugent solo and with a jazz band. Donation $2 (or more if possible). Bloomsburg Cares (www.bloomsburgcares.org) is still accepting donations for its regional Tsunami Relief Effort. So far, almost $6000 have been raised through a variety of local events. Thanks to all who have participated in this wonderful project. Friday Films at Bloomsburg University. Foreign and independent films will now be show every Friday night at 7:30 in Centennial Hall, room #218. Admission is free and everyone is invited. March 11: No film - Spring Break March 18: Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf March 25: Jesus of Montreal April 1: Ma Vie En Rose April 8: Infernal Affairs Finding your way CD Finding Your Way Back to Calm, a CD of six relaxation tools and three tracks of soothing music, makes a wonderful gift for anyone who is emotionally or physically stressed. Each technique lasts about 10 minutes so you can fit in a relaxation break almost any time of the day. You can purchase the CD at our web store, at our office at 816 Central Road, or at As Nature Intended on Main Street in Bloomsburg. Additional Links How to Help a Grieving Child http://www.fernside.org/ The Loss of a Pet http://www.homevet.com/ Helping Yourself or a Friend with Grief http://www.cmha.ca

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