Collective for Hope helps grieving Omaha residents

OMAHA, Nebraska — For many people, the holiday season is a time to spend with the people who love them the most, but for others, it serves as a continual reminder of the loved ones who aren’t there to celebrate with them.

Sandy Lemen, the programs director at Collective for Hope, stated that “if you are grieving someone, there is a depth of loneliness, desire, and plain grief”

Lemen is in charge of Grieving’s Journey, an organization that provides free grief support sessions led by peers. to comfort afflicted family members and friends.

This means allowing them to feel whatever emotions they want, including sadness, and without distracting them from the loss for which they are mourning.

“They’ve already been through a lot. You can’t make someone feel worse by talking about how sad they already are. “And we see time and time again that actually creating space for individuals to talk about their loss actually makes them smile,” said Lemen. “And this is something that we witness time and time again.”

A “Blue Christmas Service” was recently organized at Urban Abbey United Methodist Church to bring awareness to the fact that the winter holidays can be difficult for certain people.

Pastor Debra McKnight remarked, “We are real people, and there are people who we will miss at Christmas or Hanukkah or any holiday gathering,” and she was referring to the congregation’s members.

In addition, McKnight offers some guidance about providing assistance to loved ones.

“Just listening is what I think our job is and just letting whoever is experiencing grief lead the conversation and not trying to respond with our anxiety by offering cliches or things we heard,” said McKnight. “Just letting whoever is experiencing grief lead the conversation and not trying to respond with our anxiety by offering cliches or things we heard”

And if you find yourself in a location where you are grieving, it is best for you to either stay at home or restrict the amount of time you spend attending activities.

“My advice to you is to simply decrease your expectations. Put less strain on yourself and enjoy life more. According to Lemen, it is acceptable to establish limits.

In addition to that, she mentioned that treatment is always an option for individuals who are struggling.

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