You Do Not Have to Walk Alone

by Liberty Riley, Reach Therapist Intern

Losing someone you love is hard. Death is never, ever easy. Even when death brings the relief of long-lived pain, it begins a lifetime of hurt, ache, and sadness for those who cared for and loved the person who passed away. Making things even more difficult are the anniversaries: the birthday that is no longer, the date of death, holidays, and personal anniversaries. Life seems to be fraught with reminders of a life once lived and a life now lost.

Being the person who lost a parent, child, sibling, or beloved friend, the pain is real and the loss is deep. Sometimes we try to move forward not knowing how to fill the void that now exists where that person once lived. We can be left feeling orphaned, sad, lonely, angry, confused, and sometimes, depressed.

How do we move out of the pain of our loss and move into a place where we can celebrate a life lived?  How can we put one foot in front of the other in order to honor the person we loved so much?

These questions are not easily answered, but they are often asked. The truth is, the pain of our losses may last a lifetime, but most likely, a time will come when we are able to realize that we are not living without the person we loved, we are simply living with him or her differently. They are no longer in the physical realm, but they are in our mental realm; they are in our hearts, our memories, and our thoughts. If we keep people alive inside of us, they can never be truly gone.

If you have suffered the loss of someone you loved and you need help putting one foot in front of the other, please contact a therapist intern at Pfeiffer Institute Reach at (919) 941-2900. We will walk through this time of pain with you; you do not have to get through this difficult time alone.

Hope That Has Led Me Out of the Darkness

"In a way, that's been the key to my still going strong for all these years. Every time I reach out beyond myself--to my family and friends, to my doctor, to my coworkers and the public to whom we bring the news, to the whole community of people who battle depressive disorders, and to the one i have turned to ever since I was a boy in Brookline--I find hope that has led me out of the darkness."

These words from Mike Wallace highlight a key part of dealing with and recovering from mental illness: reaching out to others for help and support. (For a more detailed story, see Mike Wallace: Speaking to a Nation).

Next week is National Mental Illness Awareness Week, and Thursday is National Depression Screening Day. Both of these times are occasions to educate yourself about mental illness and recognize how you or someone you know may be feeling the effects. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is a great place to start. The more you know, the more you can help reduce the stigma around mental illness, and the barriers to getting help.

If you're looking for help and support, remember that during Mental Illness Awareness Week, your first session is FREE at Pfeiffer Institute Reach! We offer low cost individual, couple, and family therapy, and for the first full week of October, the first session is FREE! Call 919-941-2900 or email contact@pfeifferreach.org today!