|
Counseling technique helps grief-stricken
When a loved one dies, the feeling of grief is overwhelming. For some people, the only consolation would be to know that the deceased is in some state of rest. Dr. Jan Holden, professor and coordinator of the counseling program at UNT, has been experimenting with a new form of transpersonal therapy called "near-death communication" that allows the grieving to experience a sense of fulfillment. Holden explains the process, and the therapeutic effects it can have on those who experience it. Dr. Jan Holden speaks about the common signs of after-death communication: "After death communication (or ADC) can take several forms. The most common is to see an apparition or to see the person look like they would in real life. Sometimes though it can take other forms- just sensing the presence of the person, smelling the person or cologne they used to wear, or seeing some kind of really coincidental object like butterflies and birds that seem to have some kind of spiritual significance." Signs of presence .wav (36 sec) Holden speaks about the frequency of after-death communication: "About forty percent of people say that they have an after-death communication experience after the loss of a loved one, and with widows it's as high as seventy or eighty percent." 40 percent .wav (13 sec) Holden describes the process of facilitating an after-death communication session: "When I first meet the client, we talk about the deceased person and the relationship that my client had with that person; what that person means to them. Then I do what's called ‘eye-movement', which is moving my fingers back and forth in a horizontal line, and the client follows my fingers back and forth. The theory is that it activates both sides of the brain, and that kind of synchronized brain activity is facilitative of having a trans-personal experience like after-death communication. Then the person follows my fingers, closes their eyes, and for anywhere from thirty seconds to longer sits in silence and waits for anything to emerge in their mind's ear, their mind's eye, or any bodily sensations." Therapy technique .wav (60 sec) Holden explains the emotional benefits of after-death communication: "Well usually grief has at least two components. One is being concerned about the deceased person – where are they? How are they?-that sort of thing. The other component is the sense of the one left behind being disconnected from the deceased person. So the after-death communication experience gives the grieving person the experience of reconnection, and that resolves a lot of their feelings of sadness." Resolving grief .wav (30 sec)
UNT News Service Phone Number: (940) 565-2108
Contact: Barbara Griffith 940-565-3510
Email: bgriffith@pres.admin.unt.edu
Latest News
UNT names director of arts institute, UNT on the Square
Herbert Holl will oversee the Institute for the Advancement of the Arts and coordinate activities for UNT on the Square.
UNT students take top award at National Intercollegiate Mediation Tournament
The tournament, held earlier this month at John Marshall School of Law in Chicago, attracted 30 teams.
UNT art students get wrapped up in tape
About 130 students in an introductory 3D design course will wrap their bodies or a friend's body in tape for their final class project.
Classic Austria concert features new faculty soloist Nov. 20
Christoph Hammer will perform in a concert of music from the classic era using late 18th-century instruments.
UNT to host North Central Texas GIS Day Nov. 17
Representatives will demonstrate how they use geographic information systems technology.
Kennedy assassination photos from Dallas PD now available on UNT’s Portal to Texas History
View investigation photos of the Kennedy shooting on online.
| 
