The Cruse course was great. Though as they were keen to let us know, it was not a "counselling" course. I am now officially known as a "Cruse bereavement volunteer". Quite rightly, they feel their course is not of sufficient depth for someone to counsel clients in the full sense of how that is usually taken. When I complete the diploma in counselling only then can I call myself a bereavement counsellor. Do I though want to call myself anything apart from"me"? Or is that too philosophical for now?
The course covered listening skills. It was great to refresh my approach in listening, in being present for the other. Loss, grief and bereavement were discussed at some length.
Practical sessions were engaged in. One caught me off guard. We were given two department store catalogues, large sheet of paper, some crayons. We then had to make a collage of someone we knew well who had died. Aunty Ivy came to mind. Why her? She had died when I was about
10, over 40 years ago. The only connection to recent events was that over the previous day I had seen one of the many YouTube videos of Susan Boyle (pre any make-over), who actually looked very much like Aunty Ivy. As I started cutting out images and drawing, so emotions
began to rise, until tears freely flowed. It was like experiencing, acknowledging her death for the first time. Surprisingly powerful.
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