Resource Articles

On August 30, National Grief Awareness Day recognizes that healing from loss isn’t a prescribed course or path. We may eventually move forward but never feel “closure”. When a loved one dies, the void they leave affects everyone differently. Work/Life Connections-EAP offers comfort to VUMC faculty & staff experiencing grief.

I was working from home just down the street from my first grader’s school and 3 miles from my 5-year-old’s preschool. I started throwing on my shoes as I called my daughters’ dad in a panic for more information – Google couldn’t move fast enough for me. When he confirmed it was NOT one of our schools, a wave of emotion washed over me so swiftly that I bent over double at the waist, let my head hang between my knees, and sobbed. Those tears held so much, a mixture of feelings I have struggled to put into words.

The one-year anniversary of the deadly March 3rd tornado brings back memories of loss, grief, and fear. It is a good time to pause and reflect. Work/Life Connection-EAP's Jim Kendall provides tips on how to emotionally prepare for anniversary reaction.

​What Do I Say When…? Someone is Grieving Tension and uncomfortable silence fill the air. Your friend or colleague has just told you that a loved one died…and you struggle for something to say…

Dealing with loss, due to whatever circumstance, is difficult. It can be particularly difficult, however, to know how to interact with others who are experiencing a loss. Responses to this type of situation can range from avoidance to becoming overly-involved. The best response is somewhere in the middle.

A job is not who we are but rather what we do. It doesn't speak to your attributes as a person, as a friend, as a partner or as a parent. Nevertheless, the loss of a job feels devastating. It represents livelihood, identity, and life purpose. In today's economic times, the loss may not be the direct result of your actions but rather based on the business or financial position of the employer. There are some important steps to take during a transition.

​Work/Life Connections-EAP coordinates Crisis Intervention Services and Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Services for the VUMC community. Definition: A Critical Incident is "any event which has the potential to produce unusual or distressing emotional symptoms such as an accident, injury, death, disaster, threat or act of violence, or other traumatic event at the workplace."

Written by Ellen Clark, L.C.S.W. The holiday season brings an onslaught of media messages that say that this is "the happiest, most joyful time of the year." Holiday songs convey this message. Magazine covers extol the fun of decorating, cooking, and family gatherings. Consumers are pursued relentlessly to buy, buy, buy, and get that perfect gift. The holiday bar is set high. So why is it that many people find the holidays stressful, lonely, sad, and depressing?

All of us will grieve at one time or another. Grief is related to love and attachment; it is love under the condition of absence. Grieving is caring about someone who is no longer present. Loss, death and grief are part of the human experience. To grieve is normal; to not grieve is pathological.

According to the National Institute on Mental Health, more than 22.1 million American adults suffer from depression annually. Of those suffering from depression, more than 80% can be treated successfully. Although depression is common, many people do not receive treatment for their illness because they do not recognize the symptoms which may include: