This February 14 will forever be changed for the communities
of Parkland and Coral Springs. Counseling is effective for coping with loss,
but it does not lessen the permanent pain of losing loved ones. While the
Douglas shooting was very prominent in the media, there are several people that
will also be dealing with loss for the first time this Valentine’s Day. During
this holiday of love, I can’t help but think about losses that I have
experienced, and how the loved ones in my family have been adversely impacted.
Life is precious and unpredictable. We make decisions to
take care of our mental and physical health; however, somethings cannot be
anticipated. It takes a tremendous amount of courage to continue living life
without your loved ones. Courage to continue being around family, friends and
celebrating events while you know that part of you is still grieving.
For me, courage gives the ability to have faith that it will
hurt less over time. It is also equally
as important to be able to talk about the pain of loss and allow yourself to
grieve. There is no time limit to grief, and we shouldn’t enforce one, but we
should allow the process to unfold as it should. This Valentine’s Day let’s
cherish our loved ones that are still present and honor the memory of those
whom we have lost.
Rachel Rowitt, Ed.D., LMHC, CAP | Grace Counseling, Inc. |
Mental Health Blog in Coral Springs
