Glendale Adventist Medical | Healthline Quarterly | Winter 2016

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INTENSE FEELINGS OF SADNESS are
a nearly universal reaction to the loss of
a special person. How we each deal with
our grief is a very personal matter, and it
comes with no hard-and-fast rules. Grief
has no timeline. If you have lost someone,
it may take months or even years to accept
what has happened. You may find that
your thoughts, emotions and behaviors
are not always under control. Feelings of
anger, guilt, despair and yearning may
rise to the surface unexpectedly. These
feelings can be painful, but they should be
respected as part of the grieving process.
In most cases, they will pass. It may help
to surround yourself with people you love.
The Beyond Loss Bereavement Ministry,
in partnership with the chaplain’s depart-
ment at Glendale Adventist Medical Cen-
ter, is here to support you. In addition to
several adult grief support groups each
week and ongoing trainings to develop an
expertise in facilitating the grief of others,
Beyond Loss is introducing a new Teen
Grief Support Group.
Teens who attend this group will find
creative and supportive ways of dealing
with loss. A new self-confidence and
resilience will be nurtured as they work
through their loss in an atmosphere of
physical and emotional safety, respect, ac-
ceptance and understanding. This group is
for teens ages 13 to 17 experiencing a loss.
Also new is the Therapeutic Yoga and
Grief Group, open to adults who may
be experiencing grief, chronic illness or
chronic body pain due to various injuries
or mild disabilities. This group is also
ideal for caregivers to use as a tool for
self-care. The practice of yoga creates a
deeply rejuvenating experience through
the postures that encourage the innate
intelligence of the body to restore balance
and well-being.
For further information about
the Beyond Loss Bereavement
Ministry, please call the chaplains
office at (818) 409-8008, or visit
and look
for the link under the “Patients and Visi-
tors” tab.
Source: National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization
effectively, it is possible for the individual to return to
an optimal level of mental wellness and resume normal
activities.
To determine whether or not this program is right for
you, ask yourself the following questions:
● ● Are you stressed out?
● ● Are the high levels of stress affecting your mood or
causing you to feel anxious?
● ● Are the symptoms of depression and anxiety so in-
tense that you are no longer able to function at home, in
school or in the workplace?
● ● Has a member of your family or close work col-
league expressed concern about the level of stress you
exhibit?
● ● Have the symptoms persisted despite treatment with
an individual therapist and/or psychiatrist?
If you feel the above situation describes you,
call GAMC’s Behavioral Medicine services at
(818) 409-8347.
HOW WE MANAGE stressful situations can affect our
physical and mental well-being. If not addressed appro-
priately, stress may grow and become overwhelming,
leading to episodes of anxiety or depression that may
affect our ability to function at our best.
The number of people taking time off work due to
stress-driven episodes of depression and anxiety is on the
rise. Mental Health America states that 1 in 20 workers
will experience depression at any given time. Many find it
difficult to function properly at work or even attend work
altogether. Having the willpower to return to work is a
process that starts by getting the help you need.
“In the Return to Work program at Glendale Adventist
Medical Center, clients learn how to identify life stress-
ors affecting their success at work, school and in other
day-to-day activities,” says Scott Robertson, director,
behavioral medicine at GAMC. “They learn coping skills,
relaxation and stress reduction to decrease the intensity
of their stress levels.”
By teaching group members how to deal with stress
If you would like to learn more
about the Return to Work program
at GAMC, call (818) 409-8347.
Are you
stressed out?
The Return to Work program
helps people learn to cope with
stress, depression and anxiety
SUPPORT
T O L E A R N M O R E A B O U T G A M C , V I S I T A D V E N T I S T H E A LT H . O R G / G L E N D A L E 7
BEYOND LOS S
Here to
support you