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As some of you have read recently, genealogy has been far more than just a 29-year hobby for me, It has also been a fantastic method of therapy.
When working as a manager of Alzheimer's Care facilities I used to use genealogy and family history as a therapy and memory tool with my patients/residents and found it to be very successful.
I came across this interesting article about the theraputic benefits of genealogy in psychological counselling...
Great post Cyanna, thanks, but I am surprised because I often found it added to my stress level when I couldn't find what I needed.
Not only with your patients, but with most anyone, all you gotta do is get the conversation started in the right direction and they are a storehouse of info. A case-in-point: We had a cousin and Mother always said there was no need to talk to him because he wasn't interested and didn't know anything. After Mother died and cousin was the only living member of that branch of the tree, I started calling him on the phone and occasionally visiting him. He had tons of genealogy info as well as family history/stories. A great source who I "found" at the end of his time and a lot was lost with his death at age 92.
Great post Cyanna, thanks, but I am surprised because I often found it added to my stress level when I couldn't find what I needed.
Not only with your patients, but with most anyone, all you gotta do is get the conversation started in the right direction and they are a storehouse of info. A case-in-point: We had a cousin and Mother always said there was no need to talk to him because he wasn't interested and didn't know anything. After Mother died and cousin was the only living member of that branch of the tree, I started calling him on the phone and occasionally visiting him. He had tons of genealogy info as well as family history/stories. A great source who I "found" at the end of his time and a lot was lost with his death at age 92.
Yes, but its a GOOD stress, keeps your heart going and your brain active
I agree that so many are storehouses of information, yet they are often ignored or forgotten as a wonderful resource. With one of my patients I learned personally what it felt like to be in the thick of battle during WWII. This lovely old guy would be sitting quietly watching television when all of a sudden he would grab me, pull me to the floor and make me belly crawl with him to behind the sofa. Anytime I would try to peek over the top he would pull me back and yell "Ya damn fool! The Jerrys are gonna blow your head off if you keep doing that!" LOL! I would be relieved when hubby would show up to visit at the cottage I managed. This old guy sometimes thought hubby was his son, and other times he thought he was a British soldier in the trenches with him. Wish I had video footage of those times, LOL!
I have recently found long-lost cousins who have been great about filling in gaps and providing old family photos. But I'm not shy about lookinng for these LOST cousins and then contacting them, LOL!
When I read the thread title, I thought it had more to do with individual therapy such as counseling. But your example is very interesting. I think learning about our family's past can certainly be conducive to healing old wounds as well as a memory tool.
When I read the thread title, I thought it had more to do with individual therapy such as counseling. But your example is very interesting. I think learning about our family's past can certainly be conducive to healing old wounds as well as a memory tool.
Oh yes! Genealogy as therapy, either through individual/family counselling with a professional or through using it as a way to heal old wounds, improve memory function, etc... is a fantastic method.
Great post Cyanna, thanks, but I am surprised because I often found it added to my stress level when I couldn't find what I needed.
Ha, ha. When I read the title, this was my first thought too.
But it does make a lot of sense to use Geology for this purpose. It's a great logic exercise that really makes you think, and it's a lot more personal than a sudoku puzzle.
Ha, ha. When I read the title, this was my first thought too.
But it does make a lot of sense to use Geology for this purpose. It's a great logic exercise that really makes you think, and it's a lot more personal than a sudoku puzzle.
Great idea!
On a more personal, psychological level, I have also used genealogy to help me understand some of the more painful dynamics in my family and its history. An all-around great method of therapy. Plus, I have photos of quite a few of my ancestors so when I need to "vent" and voice my feelings to them I just stand in front of their photo, shake my fists and let loose! Hmmmm....that sounds like I'm almost ready for a visit from the men in white
.... A case-in-point: We had a cousin and Mother always said there was no need to talk to him because he wasn't interested and didn't know anything. After Mother died and cousin was the only living member of that branch of the tree, I started calling him on the phone and occasionally visiting him. He had tons of genealogy info as well as family history/stories. A great source who I "found" at the end of his time and a lot was lost with his death at age 92.
I've found stating that I'm asking about genealogy information makes people self-conscious. They can freeze up and wind up answering a lot of questions: I don't know. 'Cause this is "for the record."
But simply engaging them in conversation about family, their childhood and asking questions as you go along, they sometimes spill a treasure trove of facts dropped into the conversation. When the family arrived in such a place, where so-and-so was born, who they married, their children, the jobs and businesses they had, etc.
I may have posted this before and if I have, I apologize, and if not, I think it goes along with this Thread. Very long story short; Dad left Mother and me when I was about four years old and we got back together and became friends when I was about 40. I often considered getting his "missing" life on tape, but procrastinated for the next 10 years because I didn't think I could keep him on track because he liked to talk about his womanizing. I finally set it up and he did a wonderful job and only rarely got off track. That was in November during my annual visit and I considered this Chapter 1 and anticipated Chapter 2 the next November, but he died in February. So people, do it while you have the opportunity, because my Chapter 2 will never happen and it is a significant blank in his "missing" life.
^
Yep. My mother has said she wished she'd paid more careful attention to her parents and grandparents stories and asked them questions.
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They can freeze up and wind up answering a lot of questions: I don't know. 'Cause this is "for the record."
