How Counseling Helped Me

My mother died at 50 years of age and my sister was ten years old. My friends were encouraging me to seek counseling, which I did. Father Larry Hinch told me I was like Mrs. God as I wanted to take away the grief and take care of everything. Father Hinch witnessed me taking my final vows as I later also became a Sister in the Dominican Order. Counseling helped me move through my emotions and my suffering and now I have helped others do the same and I have done this for almost 60 years — thanks be to God.

 

When I was a chaplain in the hospital and was with family of a dying person I would ask them to say “I am sorry for“, “I forgive you for”, “I thank you for” and “I love you”. Then, I would ask what quality he/she had that they would like to have. When they find themselves with that quality to say to the person who passed thank you for showing me.

 

As a chaplain, when a child died, I would call on those who went before him/her to welcome him/her. When a child died, I would do a home visit bringing a memory box and resources. The memory box had notes from their nurses.

 

God promised he would always be with us through all difficult times. All who were dying celebrated the sacrament of the sick. I will never forget after I gave this child her first communion, as she died with her family around her.