As part of All Saints’ Day, many families go to cemeteries today to remember those who have already passed away, a date that usually stirs deep emotions.
The psychologist at the Sapallanga Community Mental Health Center, Daniel Ordóñez, explained that these days are marked by memories, nostalgia and sadness. “What most often happens are the memories we have had of our loved ones, accompanied by emotions such as sadness”he pointed out. He added that each person lives and expresses their grief differently.
The specialist also pointed out that these dates can reactivate pain even after years, and that it is valid to express it or decide how to deal with it. “Every person is very different, if you prefer to go to the cemetery the other week, you do what you feel like doing”he indicated.
He stressed that the family must accompany with empathy, without imposing rituals or putting pressure on those who prefer to temporarily avoid the cemetery or maintain other forms of symbolic connection with their loved ones.
In children, Ordóñez recommended approaching grief with care, clarity and, if possible, professional support. He said that a child from the age of five or six can already understand what happened, as long as it is explained appropriately. “It is important to ask what the child wants, maybe he doesn’t want to go to the cemetery or maybe he does want to take his little flower.”explained the specialist.
