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Want grief relief, but don't know how to help yourself get it? Do you wonder if there is a way to deal with the avalanche of grief that buries you after your loved one dies? Do you want to work yourself through this deepest of misery that plagues you, and maybe even before? Richard Ballo, author of the award-winning book, Life Without Lisa, offers hope and a way. Ballo was only 39 when he suffered the loss of his beloved 38-year-old wife Lisa to cancer. He was engulfed in a grief so deep that he could barely make himself get out of bed. But once he began to journal his feelings and thoughts, his life took a positive turn. It turns out Ballo intuitively knew that journaling would be best for him. He later discovered the significant amount of scientific research that proves journaling strengthens the immune system thereby counteracting the negative impact emotional stress has on a body. Scientists have proven that journaling improves cognitive function which means you can think more clearly. Clear thinking is often blurred by grief. Research has also proven that journaling can reduce the symptoms of asthma and arthritis as well as other health challenges so it can benefit your wellbeing in specific ways. By journaling, you'll enjoy decreased levels of stress, be better able to cope with trauma including emotional trauma, and experience less worry and anxiety - a veritable treasure-trove of benefits from the simple act of writing your thoughts and feelings. Ballo recommends writing your deepest feelings coupled with thoughts about losing your loved one and what you can do to recover. A study published in the Annals of Behavior Medicine showed that people who wrote about a traumatic event gained the most benefit when they included both thoughts and feelings rather than merely writing about emotions alone. In order to heal in 2010, your grief needs to be expressed in a safe way. A journal is incredibly safe, Ballo confirms. The pages of a journal are non judgmental, never get bored with what you write and will always be there for you. The pages want your words, your deepest, even darkest thoughts because those of us who grieve have those thoughts. This from a man who knows and who has recovered. Ballo also recommends joining a Hospice support group, taking advantage of Hospice one-on-one counseling, letting yourself cry and admitting where you are in the healing process. Healing from grief is not necessarily easy, but neither is building a house, Ballo points out. Yet both can be accomplished in stages as long as you start with a solid foundation. Journaling is one of the best tools you can use to build your foundation. Richard Ballo is a death and dying expert and author of the award-winning book, Life Without Lisa: A Widowed Fathers Compelling Journey Through the Rough Seas of Grief, available in stores nationwide and online at Amazon, Abebooks and BarnesandNoble. He has appeared on FOX Television News, and more than 50 local and national radio programs and has been featured in various newspapers and magazines across the U.S. To contact Rich and learn more about how to recover after losing a loved one, visit http://www.richardballo.com
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