Grief Recovery Method Group Pilot

Week 3: Academy Award Recovery

Okay hands up, if when asked the following question, you have lied about the answer ?

“How are you ?”

Whilst I can’t see how many of you have your hands up, I can imagine there are quite a few in the air out & if its any consolation, I too had my hand up because over the years I have lied many times & said “I’m fine” when nothing could be further from the truth; but why lie ?

There may be lots of reasons, such as you are feeling down & don’t want people to know, or you don’t want the other person to feel badly when you download any negative thoughts you have been having, or you feel it is none of their business, or may be you can’t be bothered to engage with them & so you say “I’m fine” because its easier & after all, that is what they are expecting you to say isn’t it ?

But consider this for a moment…… how many of you like being lied to by others ? I doubt if any of you would & yet that is typically what many people do on a daily basis, because they feel they should in order to be accepted or liked. However by doing this, people are denying their feelings & ultimately it keeps them stuck as well as it undermining their mental health & wellbeing.

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In session 3, we will explore why we might feel we have to put on a “happy” face for others & what effect this might have on us, before moving onto the topic of who might be responsible for our feelings. These topics along with “seeking the approval of others”, will be the focus for week 3’s discussion & will pick up on the written task handed out after the second weekly session. A written task will then be handed out for week 4 as we move further towards recovery.

Lisa Richards: Certified Grief Recovery Specialist