Mekel Harris, Author at mekelharrisphd.com - Page 5 of 9
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I'm humbled and thrilled that you're here!  I already mentioned that I love journaling, so buckle your seatbelt ... you're in for a crazy, messy ride!  Remember, we're all perfectly imperfect

Welcome, welcome ...

Have you ever considered the reality of grieving while Black? If you don’t identify as BIPOC, it’s like that you haven’t. In society, we often ascribe wide-sweeping assumptions about the grief process. As a result, we’re less able to take into account the reality that all grief is not created equal. Caitlin Forbes (https://www.baby1stnetwork.org/news/blog-how-do-we-address-black-grief-compounded-centuries-racism-loss-and-trauma) writes […]

Have you ever considered the role of faith in the face of grief? Prayer and faith, as it pertains to grief, can be a tricky territory, I know. Faith is a multidimensional and layered muscle that is influenced by a host of things. For instance, family upbringing, trauma exposure, grief and loss, and community play […]

Isn’t it time to adopt a new definition of resilient leadership? My quick answer: a resounding YES. My longer answer, however, is that we need to explore the concept of resilience. This, I believe, will help us better understand its role in leadership. Psychology Today defines ‘resilience’ as “the psychological quality that allows some people […]

Have you ever considered the role of the 5 love languages in grief? Equally as important, are you even aware of the love languages? If not, let me offer a bit of context. Dr. Gary Chapman outlined five primary ways people feel cared for in his landmark book, “The Five Love Languages.” Here’s a link […]

In 2013, another question my therapist asked was “Mekel, what do you think about unleashing the power of movement in grief? Hmmm … I hadn’t really considered how the two might be connected at that point in my grief journey. After my mom died in late 2012, and my body began sending non-stop signals in […]

I never really considered the power of putting pen to paper until 2012. That’s the year my mom died. As a result, I found myself in a club I never wanted to be a part of, namely one filled with grieving souls. After resisting everything associated with grief for roughly one year after her death, […]

“Are you just seen or truly known?” This was the question my therapist posed to me last year as I explained how misunderstood I felt in my grief. In the midst of coping with the impact of a global pandemic, my dad died of sudden heart failure. And after nearly 8 years of navigating grief […]

Have you ever considered the impact of grief on relationships in your life? Remember being a kid and pinky swearing? Sometimes, it represented a guarantee of secrecy between friends. The pinky swear not only signified togetherness in the moment, but also a forever bond. While I often equated this to childhood, as an adult, I […]

Grief takes you here, there, and everywhere. The day I realized just how much grief had thrust me into a whirlwind, I’d already hit rock bottom. Roughly 8 months following my mom’s death, I traveled from LA to Washington, D.C. for a business meeting. The airplane, minimally full, provided the perfect cocoon for me to […]

Have you ever wondered where others end and you begin? Over the years, I certainly have. This is based, in part, on my natural giving nature, as well as my profession. (Yes, there are days when working as a licensed psychologist doesn’t work to my advantage!) I’m reminded of a season in my early 30s […]