Transforming Pain Into Possibility with Paula Shaw

Paula Shaw, CADC, DCEP is an author, therapist, certified Energy Psychology specialist, certified grief counselor, certified counselor in alcohol and drug abuse and Reiki Master. For more than 20 years, Paula has been passionate about empowering people who are dealing with profound loss, so they can reap something truly beautiful from their pain. Paula also helps clients who are going through major life transitions or seeking freedom from self-destructive addictions. Her books include Chakras, the Magnificent Seven (2002) and When Will This Pain Ever End? Finding Your Way out of the Pit of Despair after Profound Grief and Loss (2015). Website Link: http://www.paulashaw.com Paula is also author of "When Will This Pain Ever End?" "When Will This Pain Ever End?" That is the question so many of us ask ourselves when we are grieving the death of a loved one, the end of a relationship or some other great personal loss. Sometimes our pain can last years. People tell us, "Time heals all wounds," but no matter how much time passes, our feelings of sadness and emptiness don’t seem to fade. We try to keep busy, but end up running around aimlessly on automatic pilot, and sharing our feelings doesn’t lessen the heartache. In desperation, we might turn to alcohol, overeating, recreational drugs or anti-depressants. Or, we might withdraw from life and other people. We feel disconnected and aimless, alone and helpless. Yet still, we hold onto the belief that we "should" be able to get over this on our own. The Truth about Grief and Loss The truth is, most of our beliefs about grief are MYTHS. We falsely believe something "out there" – time, talking, activity, drugs – will stop the pain. But the truth is that healing from grief and loss comes from allowing ourselves to grieve instead of trying to stop the hurt. Of course, the idea of allowing ourselves to feel the pain can be scary. We can only do it when we feel safe and supported, and when we know how to work through it. That is