I've written about this a little on here before when I went to help identify the body of a former client with a colleague.
Today I attended a wake for the first time, for a client who passed. There were many emotions going through my mind at once. Awkward, yet nice seems to describe it best. I was able to see the client was finally at peace. I also felt acknowledged, that even though I was no longer working with her, the family still remembered me and my efforts with someone who could be extremely difficult to work with to say the least.
I went back and forth over the past couple of days on whether or not it was appropriate for me to attend, what would I say, how would I feel, would it be upsetting for me and how would the family feel about that...........but in the end I am glad I went.
The hardest part was deciding it was okay for me to go.
Loss is always a hard thing to deal with regardless of your relationship to the person. So sorry.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about this.
ReplyDeleteIt's something I've spent time thinking about, but have never (yet) been faced with deciding whether to go to services for a client. I've had a few clients die while I was involved in working with them, but for various reasons attending has never been an option so far.
I have only once been to the funeral of a client and that, incidently, was last week. It just 'felt' right. Mostly it depends on the relationship I had with the family. I'm very glad I went on that occasion. It is just an instinctive thing really.
ReplyDelete