How to Deal with the Unexpected with Niesia Garza, LCSW

Losing someone who is dear to us is like losing a part of ourselves, too. Once a thing like that happens, we just cannot be the same person, with the effect of their loss forever engraved in our being.

Also, communicating with someone who is grieving is no easy thing either. And as unfortunate as it already is, society has made it a taboo that people now choose to avoid attending to their need to grieve.

Indeed, grieving isn’t easy; never will it be. But this is exactly why it is important that we choose to understand how grief works instead of staying away from it.

It is normal, and there are no ‘finish lines’ for it. Tune in to today’s episode as Niesia enlightens us about this as she reassures us that it’s okay to not be okay, that it’s perfectly normal for us to cry our hearts out and feel.

Niesia Garza is a licensed clinical social worker and registered play therapist. She is the owner and CEO of Daniel’s Harbor Therapy Center, a therapy center inspired by and in honor of her late son Daniel whom they lost at the young age of 2, where they help patients who are going through trauma and grief.

In this episode, Neisia educates us on how society views grief, and what needs to be changed about it. She also discusses some ways how to handle grief along with the assurance that it’s completely normal to address it.

Why you need to check out this episode:

Understand the concept of grieving and why it is normal to behave differently when in the stage of grief;
Learn how to deal with someone who is grieving, along with the understanding that someone who has gone through loss will never be their same old self again; and
Find out why grief should be normalized and not be considered “taboo”

“Everybody grieves differently. There’s never a right or wrong way to grieve; there are unhealthy ways and healthy ways, but not a right or wrong way to grieve.” – Niesia Garza, LCSW

Topics Covered:

00:23 – Welcoming today’s guest, Niesia Garza, as she talks about her therapy center, Daniel’s Harbor Therapy Center

01:45 – “Unexpected grief is not something that you just get over”: Why Niesia chose to focus on helping families who are grieving

04:45 – This ain’t easy: Niesia explains what makes talking to grieving people difficult, and why people ultimately choose to simply avoid it

07:59 – “I want to go out there and normalize it”: Niesia talks about the mindset that’s a must-have for a professional who specializes in grief

10:16 – “It’s okay to grieve”: Addressing the mental health factor, talking about the lack of such care, and how it doesn’t imply loss of control whenever grief takes over our emotions

15:55 – Not there in her time of need: Niesia shares what inspired her to provide the proper help and support to those who are in grief

18:19 – Where it all started: Niesia explains why society expects grieving people to “get over it” after a certain span of time, and discusses how the feeling of loss doesn’t really heal but only becomes bearable over time

27:16 – We all have a different journey: Talking about the people that Niesia works with along with the noticeable differences between each of them

31:35 – The new normal: Niesia talks about her plans on spreading awareness about grieving as she briefly describes the work that they do in Daniel’s Harbor Therapy Center

Notable Quotes:

“I just want to help other families for them not to feel like there’s something wrong with them or they’re crazy just because they’re grieving.” – Niesia Garza

“It’s not about finding what to say or the right words to say. Just be present. Allow them to talk, cry, and whatever. Just your presence alone is enough.” – Niesia Garza

“People think we should be grieving a certain way or have a certain time to grieve, and that’s not what it is about.” – Niesia Garza

“Own it and feel it, because the more we try to hide it or suppress it, then that’s when our emotions take control over us.” – Niesia Garza

Connect with Niesia:

Neisia's Website
Neisia's LinkedIn