As part of INA Healing Center’s Grief Recovery Program, twenty-one (21) bereaved clients from Barangay Payatas, Quezon City and Makati City participated on the Memory Bracelet making activity that was held at the center’s Meditation Room on December 9, 2019.
This is the session of the Grief Recovery Program wherein the clients were taught the fourth task of mourning which is “Emotionally Relocating the Deceased and Moving on with Life”. As a chosen activity for the second semester of 2019, the clients were taught how to make bracelets that will remind them of their departed loved ones. Ms. Marichu P. Gale, a Peer Support Mentor from Brgy. Gulod, Novaliches, Quezon City, who also learned bracelet making at IHC and soon made it into a small business as her own; she showed them how to make sturdy and fashionable bracelets that they can wear for a longer period of time.
This activity aimed to help the clients find an enduring connection with the deceased while embarking on a new life, to emotionally relocate their emotions and to reinvest it to new relationships and activities.
Each of them showed off their creations and shared their stories, some expressed that they were amazed at themselves that they were able to finish the GRP sessions and others also talked about how much they enjoyed the activity.
“Marami akong nagawang bracelet at kwintas, hindi lang para sa anak kong namatay kundi meron din ako para sa akin at sa iba ko pang mga anak. Sa tulong ng mga sessions dito sa INA, narealize ko na nandito pa ako, buhay pa ako at may mga anak pa ako. Kaya ngayon, hindi lang puro ‘yung namatay kong anak ang ginawan ko.”
“Nakakatuwa na sumama ako dito ngayong araw, siguro kung nasa bahay lang ako nagmumukmok lang ako o nanonood ng tv, pero ito nakagawa ako ng bracelet. Medyo masakit man sa mata pero tiis lang kasi namiss ko gumawa ng ganito, ang gaan sa pakiramdam, nawaglit kahit papano ang mga problema at lungkot sa buhay ko. Para kaming mga bata na nawili sa mga beads.”
“Ginamit ko ‘yung mga paboritong kulay ng asawa ko dito sa bracelet para tuwing makikita ko to, siya ang maaalala ko. Ito (bracelet) na lang ang dadalhin ko hindi na ang picture niya.”
Ms. Diane M. Gianan, Psychologist I of the INA Healing Center officially closed the activity through processing the clients’ thoughts and emotions.
INA Healing Center is a non-residential facility where grieving mothers who lost a child are given psychosocial support to help others who are in similar situation. The center is located at the DSWD-Central Office, Batasan Pambansa Complex, Constitution Hills, Quezon City.###