8. The ebb and flow of grief with Mari Cerda

Do you know that feeling of standing in the ocean, waves at your feet, & the constant coming and going of waves? Imagine yourself, even for a second…standing in the water, your eyes closed, feeling the sensations of those waves. 

Sometimes the waves come with regularity…and, every once in a while, notice how they are more forceful at times, and then unexpectedly gentle. Our guest today, Mari Cerda, shares a difficult story…the loss of a loved one. She shares how her experience was much like the experience of standing in the ocean, feeling wave after wave of grief. 

This metaphor translates to our universal experience of emotions. That, much like the ebb and flow of the tide, emotions come and go. Sometimes they are predictable and sometimes they crash upon you with sudden force…knocking you off your feet. Mari described her grief this way…and the grief that has continued through the years. 

I want to say, before you listen, that Mari will share her story about losing her first husband to suicide. I want to recognize the sensitivity and difficulty of this conversation with those who have recently experienced loss or who are otherwise not ready to listen to this. If that is you, please give yourself grace and listen when you are ready.  

We also touch on the topic of acceptance—acceptance of this constant ebb and flow of emotions—and how we can experience acceptance in a way that validates the emotion without being swept up and completely carried away by them. 

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In this episode I also share about an opportunity to participate in a monthly group meeting called ACT Collective. In this community we meet to discuss topics related to ACT, review a research article and practice Acceptance and Commitment Therapy strategies live in session, with each other. It’s also an excuse for us to get together, laugh, share our goals, and get accountability for following through on our goals. If you are interested in joining, reach out or check out ACT Collective on my website https://actinspiredbehaviorcoaching.com/what-is-act-collective

If you are interested in sharing one of your stories, please reach out to me via email at gabbie@actinspiredbehaviorcoaching.com, send me a message on Instagram @actinspiredbehavior, or go to my website at www.actinspiredbehaviorcoaching.com.

I'd love to hear from you!

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Our guest, Mari Cerda, is a behavior analyst, mom, wife, and leader. She recently started a podcast with her colleague Christina called The Supervisor’s Soapbox which aims to actively address the disparity of BIPOC, NON-BIPOC, Indigenous, LGBTQ, and Neurodiverse practitioners in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis. Reach out to her on Instagram @the.bilingual.bcba