Flood and Trauma in Alberta

Media coverage of raging rivers flooding Calgary and neighbouring communities, communities being evacuted by air and heavy equipment, and  people clinging to loved ones are among the unexpected and traumatic scenes which have confronted Albertans in the last few days. As the flooding has destroyed and damaged homes, property, and vegetation, the loss of human life and animals has shaken our sense of safety and security where we live and work.

We are grieving. Some of us have lost our loved ones – people and pets. Some of us have lost our place of sanctuary – our homes, treasured mementos, the fruits of loving care of our gardens. Others of us have lost the trails and roads to those places to where we escape in Kananaskis. There are losses that we don’t even know or understand yet.

If you are experiencing a sense of trauma, numbness, shock, sadness and being overwhelmed, here are some websites that offer some practical strategies to help you cope.

This site from the University of New Hampshire has good info about coping with the trauma associated with the natural disaster of the flooding in our communities. 

http://unhcc.unh.edu/dealing-effects-trauma-%E2%80%93-self-help-guide

This guide from Australia has some excellent information. Many of the web links are international.

http://www.grief.org.au/grief_and_bereavement_support/bushfire_support/looking_after_yourself_after_d

This website has tips for helping kids cope with the trauma of changes to their sense of safety and security.

http://www.helpguide.org/mental/disaster_recovery_trauma_stress_coping.htm

Drink lots of water. The brain’s response to trauma affects our ability to experience thirst – we may become dehydrated without being aware of it – the resulting confusion and difficulty thinking makes coping with the situation even worse.

THANK YOU to our first responders throughout the province for your courage, dedication and compassion.

My thoughts are with all of you who are struggling with the impact of this flood on your life at this moment. May you find moments of calmness and strength in this day.

Wendy

Peter Pan's thoughts about dying...

Elders take a go at death!

Death Cafe is teaming up with Sage-ing Calgary as age, sage and death go head- to- head in conversation about all things death, and life!

Join the lively chat in Death Cafe style with intimate table discussions over light refreshments. This event is open to everyone - just drop Wendy a message at yycdeathcafe@gmail.com, or call Lois at 403.239.3419

Here are the details:

Monday, June 24th
6:30 to 9:00 PM
Prairie Sky Co-Housing, Common Room Upstairs
Edmonton Trail N.E.
No Charge 

Drop by for some refreshments and to hear what others are saying and thinking about death, and life - the great thing is that you get to throw in your 2-cents as well!

Warmly
Wendy
Certified Thanatology, Certified Professional Writing

2,002 people have viewed this poster

                                                                                      Wendy Kurchak 2013

I created this poster with a photo I took across the street from a 16th century hospice in the Bavarian town Landsberg am Lech. I clipped the inspiring quote by A.Sachs from the Calgary Herald newspaper sometime this past month.

I posted the piece on the Death Cafe Facebook page in my role as a volunteer contributor. I`m so pleased that over 1,100 people viewed this poster in less than 24 hours. 

I hope it inspires life changes which is the founding principle of Death Cafes: to increase an awareness of death with a view of helping people make the most of their (finite) lives.

The next Calgary Death Cafes are September 22nd and October 23rd. To register, please email me at yycdeathcafe@gmail.com

Calgary Death Cafes

June 9th Death Cafe      Photo CBC

 Death Cafe. It's about increasing an awareness of death to encourage living life to its fullest.

If you've seen the CBC video story, or heard the CBC radio interview about the Death Cafe, you've discovered the right place to find information about  upcoming cafes.

The next Sunday afternoon Death Cafes are September 22nd, and October 23rd.

You need to register for the events, but it's as simple as sending me a message at yycdeathcafe@gmail.com. Once I confirm your request, you're done!



I hope to see you at an upcoming  Death Cafe. But please register early - the June 9th cafe was fully booked six weeks before the event!

Warmly
Wendy Kurchak
B.Ed., B.MusA., DipNursing, DipGuidance, Certified Thanatology

GRIEVING KIDS AND A VERY BIG DOG!

BERNIE.

She’s a big, gentle St. Bernard with a purpose – guiding  grieving kids. 

Fortunately,  Bernie’s human companion, Angela Blenkhorne, has developed a brilliant approach for Bernie to reach bereaved children, “Bernie’s Buddies” :

“A kids’ grief peer support group using pet therapy and yoga to help kids remember how to live after the loss of a loved one.”

A trained therapy dog, Bernie creates a space where kids are safe to express thoughts and feelings about their loss and grief. The sense of anxiety, which kids often experience during times of bereavement, slips away as they touch, pat, and wrap their little arms around Bernie.

Angela, a certified yoga instructor, brings her own experience as a grieving teen to the groups, as well as 20 years of involvement volunteering with youth. Her passion for helping grieving kids, yoga and Bernie, make for the perfect blend of pet therapy, physical healing and compassion in "Bernie's Buddies" groups.

Now, I'm a dog-lover. The bigger the dog, the harder I fall; Bernie stole my heart within seconds. She tolerated my non-stop pats, hugs, and my gibberish doggy-talk. Talk which Bernie couldn’t hear – she’s deaf. 

Angela showed me how to communicate with Bernie via hand signals. I can’t help think how good it will be for a grieving child to develop the skills to direct Bernie’s play – a sense of control in a world in which a grieving child may feel powerless and helpless.

Is there a grieving child that comes to your mind? Here’s a timely and practical way to help them…

This month, Bernie is doing two “Bernie Buddies” groups!

June 10

June 24

6:30 to 8:00 PM

Eau Claire

To make Bernie accessible to all grieving kids, Angela does not charge a fee for the support groups. Thank you, Angela, for your kind generousity.

For information about Bernie, and registering for "Bernie's Buddies" go to www.adventureswithbernie.com and Bernie@adventureswithbernie.com

I’m very excited that Bernie and Angela will be at the October 23^rd Death Café as we talk about animal companionship at the end-of-life and in grief - Bernie is living proof of the power in that connection.

Check out Bernie's website! Then register for one of the groups, or for the October Death Cafe.

Warmly

Wendy

CT(Thanatology) B.Ed, B.Mus, Dip(Nursing) Dip(Guidance) Certificate in Professional Writing PR