Dr. Gina Spence- Virgil, JP

My Experience

This was a program I never would have thought would be so significant me. I came to understand what was Greif and ended up discovering I had rooted Greif I never delt with. I walked out of the program understanding my troubles and learning how to take responsibility for them. I discovered so much things within me that I realized I was not dealing with. This program helped me to be honest within myself and face realities in a safe environment with no judgement. The curriculum is worth all the steps of getting to the root of an issue. It built patience within me that I did not realize I needed. It opened doors that I didn't realized I had closed. It awakened opportunities for me to address matters involving very significant people in my life that if it wasn't for the program I wouldn't have. It brought me to a place of realizing I am better for others when I am first loving myself for others. I can go on and on so I thank the brilliant minds that decided to put this together.

My Experience

So many incidences were uncovered that I thought I had gotten over. Understanding that it's alright express you feelings and to cry if i need to. That some of the things that we have been told all of our lives and said ourselves, really does not help. Things like, "put on your big girl pants, don't cry, time heals everything, get over it". Learning that grieving is not limited to the death of a loved one has helped me heal from some deep rooted anger and pain. It has also caused me to stop judging people whose behaviour my not be socially acceptable and to empathize with others who are hurting. More and more people seek me out to talk about their feelings because that they will be heard, will not be judged, will not receive any advice unless they ask for it and whatever they say will not be repeated. I realize that just about everyone is grieving and I want to help them heal.

My Experience

The programme helped me understand that grief is not only about the death of someone we love but it is about losses in every area of our lives. That those traditional phrases I heard all of my life, "don't cry, suck it up, put on your big girl pants, time will heal" etc, are not true and did not help anyway. I now have better skills that not only help me cope with trauma but with these skills I am able to help others. I have better listening skills and more empathy. People are seeking me out because they feel they will be heard and not judged, they will not hear the traditional unasked for advise and their personal business will not be repeated.