104: How to Move Through Grief towards Joy // Anna Packard

“The quickest way for anyone to reach the sun and the light of day is not to run west chasing after the sun, but to head east, plunging into the darkness until one comes to the sunrise.” -Jerry L. Sittser National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Day was October 15th, and I wanted to honor this sacred day by dedicating an episode to mothers who walk through life with a piece of their heart and soul missing. If this is you, I hope that today’s episode on how to move through grief might offer some comfort. Today’s guest is Anna Packard, a mother of four who lost her infant son Charlie when he was four months old. She also has a PhD in clinical psychology and is a therapist at Balance Health and Healing, so she has both personal and professional experience in how to move through grief toward joy after immense loss. How to Move Through Grief * Remember, the only way out is through: practice willingness, prioritize self-care (which includes finding a support group of other mothers who have lost children), and allow all emotions. What we resist, persists. * Look for beauty, gifts, and meaning along the way. Assigning your own meaning to your experience can be a powerful step toward healing. * Remember that you are stronger than you realize. (This is very hard to hear in the early stages of grief, but you will find that it is true with time.) Show Notes Anna’s website: balancehealthandhealing.com Anna’s Instagram: @balancehealthhealing A Grace Disguised: How the Soul Grows through Loss by Jerry L. Sittser Grief support for parents who have experience loss through miscarriage, stillborn, or infant loss. http://www.shareparentsofutah.org/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/326053507470465/ Utah SIDS parents group on FB https://www.facebook.com/groups/569722193074649/ Episodes from 3 in 30: “Three Messages of Hope for the Darkest Times“ “How to Support a Loved One who is Grieving“ -Have you ever thought about starting a podcast? Or do you already have a podcast but are frustrated because it isn’t growing as much as you’d like it to? Podcast University is open for enrollment again now through November 1st! Podcast U is an online school for all things podcasting that I run with my dear friend, the host from About Progress, Monica Packer. -Join us for one of our FREE courses this month both about starting a podcast AND growing a podcast.