The Not-So-Happy Father
Jun 09, 2016
©Jane A. Simington, PhD.
On June 19,th many will extend a “Happy Fathers’ Day” greeting that is received with feelings of joy; yet the day and its associated traditions will be for others, a further reminder of what was once paramount and is now of little significance. This holiday, because it vibrates with expectations of personal and family happiness, and satisfaction with traditional roles and responsibilities, can conjure up feelings of deep grief over what...
The Golden Altar Metaphor for Healing From Grief
Apr 21, 2016
©Jane A. Simington, PHD
A few weeks ago I visited the Church of the Golden Altar in Panama City. Legend has it that when the Welsh pirate Morgan was burning and looting the original settlement, a resourceful priest had this huge altar of gold, painted in black tar, so that its value was disguised. As I viewed the priceless treasure, I was reminded of a parallel experience in Bangkok. On that morning whilst in a small temple in Thailand, I gazed in awe at a Golden Buddha, which at one...
Depression Resulting From Spiritual Distress
Mar 08, 2016
©Jane A. Simington, PHD
Some time ago I supported a young man seeking help for depression. His response to my initial questions inquiring about the origin of his depression was, “When I started that meaningless job.” His reply caused me to ponder if, since finding meaning in our lives and in what we do, is a major spiritual need; and since finding meaning is closely associated with the spiritual need of feeling that our life’s purpose is being fulfilled, I suspected...
Grief and Trauma Therapy during Pregnancy
Feb 03, 2016
© Jane A. Simington, PHD
It is well recognized that a mother’s varying stress levels affect her unborn child. Grief and trauma are major stressors, causing physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and social responses. Therapists who work with grieving and traumatized clients will at some points in their careers struggle with the decision of whether to leave a grieving and traumatized pregnant woman to manage these stressors as best she can, knowing their impact on the unborn...
A Time for Positive Change
Jan 12, 2016
©Jane A. Simington, PhD.
Welcome to 2016! In numerology, the energy expression of a year is determined by adding the numbers and reducing that number to a single digit. In doing so, we recognize that the energy of the 8 which was sustained during 2015, has increased to the level of 9 for 2016.
The 9 denotes the end of a cycle, and offers energy to support positive changes in our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual lives to help us complete a cycle, and allow us to move to...
The 9 denotes the end of a cycle, and offers energy to support positive changes in our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual lives to help us complete a cycle, and allow us to move to...
Honoring Darkness Prepares Us to Welcome the Returning Light
Dec 15, 2015
©Jane A. Simington, PHD. 2015
As the winter solstice approaches we are once again reminded of how the seasonal changes in nature mirror the cyclic rhythms within our own lives. When we pause to examine our interconnections in the web of all existence we acknowledge that times of darkness fall upon every life. As the light fades and cold settles in we recognize that each of us experiences times of darkness and isolation.
As the world around us lies mostly dormant, if we allow...
As Life Ended He Knew He Had Done the Best He Could
Nov 04, 2015
Jane A. Simington
Developmental theorist Eric Erickson1 described our final developmental task as being the need to review our life to determine if the gods are pleased. In doing a life review, we sort through the various aspects of our life and conclude either with believing we have done the best we could, or determining there are things we need to make right within our self or in our relationships.
Some time ago, my husband called me for help with the frightening visions...
Gratitude for the Grandfathering of Grandsons
Sep 28, 2015
©Jane A. Simington, PhD.
I never knew my grandfathers; they both died before I was born, so I have no personal experiences of being grandfathered. After I married, my husband and I lived far from our families of origin so I saw few examples of my own children being grandfathered. Perhaps it is because of these voids I feel a deep sense of appreciation for the opportunities to learn about grandfathering as I witness my husband embrace this role. Through these...
Autumn Gifts: Lessons of Death and Rebirth
Sep 09, 2015
©Jane A. Simington, PhD.
The gardens have lost their freshness and here and there along the path red and gold leaves show themselves, like the silver hairs that now appear among my blond ones. The autumnal changes that awaken the cyclic rhythm within my own life cause me to once again reflect on how the shadow of summer’s death turns me inward, tearing away the veil revealing all that is now a part of the past.
My son died in autumn. He had been in the springtime of...
A Garden Metaphor: Resolving Guilt and Regret
Jul 29, 2015
©Jane A. Simington, PHD
For years now, my garden has been a great teacher. I treasure the soulful prompting I receive daily in witnessing the seasonal changes of growth and decline. Today I ruminate on how fruitful some early spring decisions and planting choices have been, and on how underproductive others were. Why did some not turn out as planned? Was the planting time wrong; the location unfavorable? What can I do now to altar those early choices? What will I do...
My Recent Blog Posts
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Author
Dr. Jane Simington, PhD
Author
Dr. Jane Simington, PhD is a grief and trauma therapist, educator, researcher and best-selling author, with an educational background in both Nursing and Psychology. The success of Dr. Jane's methods in helping more than 400 people heal and rebuild their lives after tragedy is based on her ability to combine up-to-date knowledge of grief, trauma and suicide-related issues, with an extensive knowledge of alternative healing methods, including therapeutic art, guided imagery, and energy work. Dr. Jane Simington, PhD has received recognition and awards for her work, including being honored as a Woman of Vision by Global TV, and as a Woman of Distinction by the YWCA.
