A little rain on the roadways — ok, make that a lot of rain — made it impossible for some registrants to attend yesterday’s Wellness Wednesdays at the SAY Play Center at Lipke Park. But that didn’t deter the dozen or so other members of the female-focused support group as they shared life stories and worked through an important topic that impacts all of us at some point: grief.
“Even though it rained outside, it was right inside,’’ said Maia Campbell, SAY Detroit Family Health Clinic’s community outreach coordinator and lead facilitator of Wellness Wednesdays. “Our attendees talked about loss due to a death, loss of a relationship. The key takeaway was how grief appears and shows up different in everyone. It’s a difficult subject, but you must allow yourself time to feel as that’s part of healing.’’
Included in the conversation were tips on helping a grieving teen or child. They include: allowing your child to have a safe space to express emotions; finding healthy ways to encourage coping skills such as taking breaks and making a gratitude jar; making new memories (remind them that it’s okay to be happy), and understanding that grief comes in waves.
SAY Detroit would like to thank guest speakers Dr. Shantalea Johns of Wayne State University School of Social Work, and Sara Scantamburio and Caroline Johnson of CNS Healthcare, for their time and input. A personal note of gratitude also goes to Chris Johnston and Ruma Barua of “A Time to Help” for their volunteer service as greeters and luncheon servers.
