[nagdu] Grief sessions in class

[Cindy Ray]

How such a class goes is dependent on the staff persons who are in charge 
and he make up of those classes. The first one I attended, which was early 
on in their usse at TSE, I was not grieving the loss of a guide in a way. 
had returned her because she wasn't making it. I worked her back to the 
school, I think this was the one. I think my big issue was the big red 
retriever I had given away to make space for that dog's replacement. I may 
be misremembering this though because as I think on it, I'm not sure when 
those classes began at TSE, but I do know that I did go to the class on that 
trip to TSE, and I needed to talk about my pet. Sometimes I have found it 
useful to visit with the person privately because of my sense of inadequacy 
and just to remember past dogs with her. I agree, Wayne, that these 
evenings, or whenever, are a blessing for those who want and need them, and 
no one is obligated to attend such a class. If I went when I got Fisher it 
was to kill time, but I really am thinking maybe I did not. I can't say I 
was grieving, and Fisher and I were having a blast at the time. These 
classes would be wrong if people were required to attend tem. And if there 
could be a class better placed and better done, then itt could be good for 
folks to relate their feelings about it to the school.

Anyway, it's really interesting to hear how different folk react to them.

Cindy Lou