I work with my art therapy clients in person or online by Skype if they live far away or don’t feel they can make it out of the house that day.
When I help a client navigate through their grieving process in person we meet at the art studio. The studio is a good size and the windows give the room a feel of lightness.
The room is separated from the other artist studios on the same floor. If one laughs out loud others outside the studio might hear it in the hallway.
One day after one of the Healing for Grieving Hearts sessions one of the artists, that knows about the work I do, said: “I was so surprised to hear laughter coming out of the studio. Don’t you work with grieving people?"
I was surprised that she would just assume, that when navigating through the process of grief, that humour and laughter would not be a part of it.
If you have met me in person, you know that humour is a big part of my personality. (smile)
If one of my clients tells a funny story about the loved one that has died then we laugh together. Why wouldn’t we? It isn’t that we are making fun of them. The opposite, we acknowledge all sides of their life by sharing these too.
Grieving doesn’t have to be all tears and gloom. Yes, there are times that humour won’t cut it, then a joke does not support a broken heart, and the soul winces thinking of being around cheerful people.
But then, who doesn’t have a funny story to tell about their loved one? No really, seriously, who doesn’t?
I wonder what would happen if we all would start to talk more about those stories and have a good laugh until the tears of humour and sadness tumble down our cheeks?
I wonder. …and you?
Sending you healing with a smile,
Jacqueline
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