How To Approach Processing Job Loss And Grief
Written by: Kelly Perry, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
With job loss we often feel expected to deal with this in a short period of time and bounce back, adapting, taking on a new role quickly. This might also be required of us due to financial needs.
However, we have often not been taught how to process strong feelings of grief and associated emotions. The Grief Snow Globe is a practical, scientific-based technique combining creative and narrative approaches to assist in processing grief and loss in a simple and tangible way.
How does the Grief Snow Globe technique work?
Rafaely and Golberg (2020) presented an article in the Journal of Creativity in Mental Health on the Grief Snow Globe, its benefits and how to apply this counselling-based technique. This article paraphrases their research findings and links the technique to job loss.
The equipment required is a clear glass jar and two objects that are tangible and has multiple colours, for example different coloured paper and coloured beads.
Expressing emotions
Imagine the coloured paper represents emotions. These emotions can be difficult or positive. Choose a colour which fits the first emotion. Explain out aloud why you chose the colour, the name of the emotion and what it feels like to you, then place the paper in the jar. The objective is to share one’s story in a non-judging environment, either with a trusted person, a professional or even by yourself. Every person’s story and emotions are unique. Continue this process selecting as many emotions and coloured paper as suits.
This process gives emotions an identity external to the person and helps validate and normalise these feelings and the experience. Even though the emotions are externalised they are still acknowledged and validated.
Expressing memories
The second step is to choose a coloured bead to represent a memory. This is repeated multiple times. The purpose is to show whilst grief and loss can be at the forefront of one’s mind, usually there are a range of positive and difficult memories demonstrating a job as a multi-dimensional experience. This expanding of thought across time aids in creating more meaning beyond the job loss experience and links to past resources and ideas that may assist in adapting.
Processing meaning
At the end of the process some questions which can be reflected upon are:
did this technique change feelings/thoughts related to the job loss?
looking at the jar what do you think of the overall colours showing?
will you keep the jar, and if so, where, and why?
do you think you will change or add to the jar’s contents?
This sharing of emotions and memories is a mechanism for adjusting to life’s losses, including job loss. The Grief Snow Globe technique is a verbal, visual and kinaesthetic approach with a low cost simple, practical and creative approach to assisting during a difficult time in one’s life.
Kelly Perry, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Kelly Perry is an ACA Registered Counsellor and creator of the Business Women’s Resilience Program. She was inspired to create this program after founding the Sports Science Education Institute and discovered it wasn’t her technical knowledge or business skills which were the most impactful but the ability to handle tough business challenges. Today she educates businesswomen on how to gain resilience and counseling techniques to enhance their business and life.
Reference:
Rafaely, M., & Goldberg, R. (2020). Grief snow globe: A creative approach to restorying grief and loss through narrative therapy. Journal of Creativity in Mental Health, 15(4), 482-493.
