Grief Counselor Dr. Susan Berger to be Featured on Close Up Radio

FRAMINGHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, UNITED STATES, May 17, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Grief and loss are experiences we all have at some point in our lives. Besides the death of someone very dear to us -- any significant loss, such as a relationship ending, the passing of our beloved pets, losing our jobs, or our homes and cherished possessions in a natural disaster, -- all of these losses represent hopes and dreams, and every loss is personal to each one of us.

Grieving is natural and healthy but getting stuck in overwhelming sorrow is not, and left unresolved can manifest into long term health problems. The grieving process helps us learn to accept our loss and adapt to life changes that can have a ripple effect throughout our lives. Seeking a qualified mental health professional can provide survivors with support and strategies to adjust to their losses, even develop new strengths and live life more fully.

The tragic death of Susan’s father when she was only eleven years old not only influenced her career choices in psychology and social work, but also compelled her years later to acknowledge how her own grief affected her whole life. By writing her book, The Five Ways We Grieve, she hoped to help other survivors understand the lifelong impact of their loss on their choices, their identities, and their lives.

Through her research and clinical practice working with the bereaved, Dr. Berger identified some common themes about how survivors adapted to their losses. Her unique approach goes beyond the commonly held theories of stages of grief. In her book, The Five Ways We Grieve, she explains how loss is a transformational experience.

Berger examines how a person’s worldview is changed after major loss. According to her findings, people experience significant changes in their sense of mortality, their values and priorities, their perception about time, whether they focus on the past, present or future, and the manner in which they ‘fit’ in society. The five types of grieving, she found, reflect the choices survivors make in their efforts to adapt to dramatic life changes. and become the survivor’s new identity. She named these identities: Nomads, Memorialists, Normalizers, Activists and Seekers.

With our new post-loss identity, we learn to live a different and often a more meaningful life.

“You don’t “get over” your pain”, Susan says, “but grief counseling can help survivors make sense of their loss, make choices that help them grow.”

It’s not only about feeling a wide range of emotions, it’s about finding a path to healing. This is the fundamental message of her book.

“With the COVID-19 pandemic, the country has fallen into collective grief for so many types of loss: the death of more than a half a million Americans, the loss of jobs and businesses which has driven unprecedented lifestyle changes. More people than ever feel withdrawn and isolated. This experience of loss is what I hope will encourage people to use the opportunity of ‘life in slow gear’ to reflect on positive things in their lives like time spent with family and exploring new possibilities. The process of grieving is an opportunity to take time to reflect on what is really important to authentically enjoy our best lives.”

Working with Susan, we will discover that analyzing ourselves through our grief is a self -affirming, thought provoking journey. While acknowledging our own mortality, we start to live in the here and now, with more enlightened self -awareness and resolve, and seek deeper meaning and purpose. And, while there is no “right” way to grieve, how we come to terms with our loss when it feels we can’t go on is the goal.

“By choosing to transition to growth rather than stay stuck in melancholy, we can reflect, seek self-fulfillment, and instead of being preoccupied with the past, we look towards the future with optimism and hope.”

In her two- part radio interview, Susan will also be discussing The Five Ways We Grieve, accentuating how through our pain we can honor our loved ones rather than live in a perpetual state of mourning.

“As we grieve, we can bring about constructive life affirming changes in who we are and how we choose to live our lives,” says Susan. “We will live more fully and move to a place beyond being broken where we can find healing, love, transformation, and joy.”

Close Up Radio will feature Dr. Susan Berger in an interview with Jim Masters on Wednesday May 19th at 1 p].m. EST and with Doug Llewelyn on Wednesday May 26th at 1pm EST

Listen to the show on BlogTalkRadio

If you have any questions for our guest, please call (347) 996-3389

For more information, visit www.drsusanberger.com

Written By: Beatrice Maria Centeno

Lou Ceparano
Close Up Television & Radio
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