A Safety Plan For Grief
Experience grief after abuse can feel overwhelming. You are glad to be free from an abusive relationship but heartbroken over all the dreams that died with the relationship.
I think it’s important to have a safety plan in place for times of despair.
Knowing that we have things we can rely on to help us out of a tough place may make it easier to do the healing work.
Here are some ideas for your grief safety plan:
- Take the time to cry and feel your grief. Sometimes we just need to accept our pain and cry it out and then it loses its hold on us.
- Have a friend(or friends) you can call in times of trouble.
- Know what types of self-care help you feel better quickly.
- Exercise. Go take a walk. If you can’t go out you can pace in a room or walk around your yard. Lift some weights, run, or do whatever helps you feel better.
- Go outside. There is something about being outside that puts our problems back into perspective.
- Ask for a hug or cuddle time with a loved one.
- Post in a Facebook group for survivors.
- Join an in-person or online Al-Anon group. Many people in Al-Anon have experienced abuse and can encourage you and reassure you that what you are going through is normal.
- Write. Keep a journal to write in during your healing journey. You can look back in times of despair to see how far you have come in your healing.
- Get creative. Draw, craft, or create in some way to help you express your feelings.
- Make a special playlist that helps you grieve. Make one to help you feel better after doing the work of letting go of the pain.
I’ve shared a few ideas to help you make your own safety plan. Once you get into the habit of using healthy coping mechanisms it will be easier to use them in a wide range of circumstances.
Keep going and keep doing the work. Remember you deserve to live in freedom and peace.
❤ Julia