Talking About the Death of a Parent
As regular readers of my blog will know, I am an ardent royalist and believe that in this world of celebrity they can be a force for good in this world. Certainly the next generation royal, (cue Princes William and Harry and the Duchess of Cambridge) have been putting their unique mark on issues which are important to them. One of the key issues which seem to strike a chord with all of them is the issue of mental health.
I found it fascinating to read in a piece on the BBC website that Prince Harry, regrets waiting to speak about his mother’s death for the first 28 years of his life. A very telling statement, because everyone else has been discussing it across dinner tables and in the media since that night in a Parisian underpass.
What I think is very helpful to those suffering bereavement is that he is talking about the importance of talking about death now. Also, his understanding that talking about painful things is not a weakness.
For many of my clients, they have avoided therapy because they see that the process is self indulgent and a sign weakness. With people like Prince Harry acting as a spokesman for these issues, maybe the idea of looking after our mental health will be seen as the same as looking after our physical health. One can only hope.
