Nina Ross, PhD

I was speaking with a client today who had to put her beloved old dog to sleep. She is now grieving this loss. She feels a certain sense of disorientation, as her daily life with her dog has been permanently disrupted. We spoke today of what she would like to do to comfort herself. Before this was clear, however, this person had to voice what she thought she “should” be doing. In her case, this involved thinking she should get on with her school work and all of the reading that that entails.
I asked her what she really wanted to do. “I want to knit, she said.” As we explored the need and desire to knit, this client realized that her body wanted the soothing rhythm of kitting, as well as the movement of rocking while knitting. This will bring comfort, she thought. My mind can unwind while my hands do something that feels like ritual. She took a deep breath, feeling relieved at this point that there is a way to be with the grief, and be comforted.
The body knows what it needs, if we would only listen.