Everyone has experienced grief and loss at some point (or possibly many times) in their life and unfortunately, unprocessed grief accumulates over time. Our culture doesn’t prepare us for the intense emotional feelings that surface with loss. We learn at a young age what is considered socially appropriate from our parents, who learned from their parents, and so on. But were those messages helpful, accurate or true? Probably not.

   

Russell Friedman, the originator of the Grief Recovery Method, defines grief as “the normal and natural emotional reaction to loss or change of any kind. Of itself, grief is neither a pathological condition nor a personality disorder.” He goes on to say, “Grief is the conflicting feelings caused by the end of or change in a familiar pattern of behavior.” With that in mind, think of all the changes that the pandemic has caused. Add to that a lifetime of painful experiences that were never resolved.

   

“You can start your recovery process now,” says Klemann. “Clients are able to express what they are feeling in a safe, supportive and nonjudgmental environment. I give identifiable examples of grief, explain what grief is and how the stress of grief affects their bodies. I also give examples of coping behaviors to avoid. Most importantly, we go through a series of action steps that lead to completion—ultimately ending their relationship with the pain attached to their significant loss.”

   

Her grief recovery program requires a consecutive seven-week commitment. She offers these sessions in person from her Oracle Road location at Spa Daze, as well as online through Zoom. The Grief Recovery Method is a non-medical service and is not covered by insurance, but she does accept HSA (Health Savings Account) payments, and offers payment plans.

  

 In addition to her grief recovery certification, Klemann is also a Medical Massage Therapist of over 20 years, and has owned Spa Daze since 2011. See ad, page 48.