5 Things You Need To Heal After a Dramatic Loss Or Life Change
Introduction to the topic: The world seems to be reeling from one crisis to another. We’ve experienced a global pandemic, economic uncertainty, political and social turmoil.  Then there are personal traumas that people are dealing with, such as the loss of a loved one, health issues, unemployment, divorce, or the loss of a job. Coping with change can be trauma tic as it often affects every part of our lives. How do you deal with loss or change in your life? What coping strategies can you use? Do you ignore them and just push through, or do you use specific techniques?
I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Mary Ann V. Mercer, Psy.D., on this topic

Mary Ann V. Mercer, Psy.D., is a Psychologist & Intensive Coaching™ co-creator of www.PositiveLifeAnswers.com  Dr. Mercer authored many books, including her new book, “Bouncing Back from Difficult Times”. She often appears on TV & Radio – including Oprah!

Questions asked to Dr. Mercer:
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we start, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood backstory? 

Here is my story of my life I revealed in my books.  I call it the ‘Victoria story’:
Throughout her life, people continually called Victoria names. As a baby, Victoria fell down a basement flight of stairs and was injured.  Physicians told Victoria’s parents she was slightly “damaged. Throughout grammar school, Victoria had difficulty with academics.  Victoria’s teachers called her parents and told them she was “slow.”  The teachers even put Victoria in the ‘slow learning group.”  Victoria felt humiliated, plus she also fell behind academically throughout grammar school.

            In high school, Victoria still had difficulty with academics.  Starting freshman year, she began to hang around with popular students, who also were troublemakers.  Her teachers called her parents, and said Victoria was “troubled and delinquent.”  Victoria would hang around what she thought were ‘cool’ students, but it contributed to her getting in trouble.

            In her senior year of high school, Victoria met a teacher who somehow felt the potential in Victoria and helped her become interested in learning.  This teacher was incredibly supportive and gave her creative assignments at first and gradually ones with more challenges.  They often talked after class. Victoria suddenly became excited about the assignments given to her and worked hard on them.  She and her teacher were proud of her work.  Her teacher was an optimistic role-model and encouraged her.

            Soon, Victoria decided she wanted to go to college.  In a meeting with her guidance counselor, the counselor exclaimed, “You are not college material. And with your grades and student ranking, no 4-year college will accept you!”  Victoria’s heart sank, and she left her office in tears. 

            To this day, quite a few years later, people still call Victoria names.  Today, they continually call her “Doctor” — Dr. Mary Ann Victoria Mercer — this book’s author (yes that is me).  I will discuss how I transformed my life and created a life I desired.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
My favorite quote comes from the bible, Mark 9:23: “If you can believe, all things are possible”.  I had faith — as demonstrated in the “Victoria Story”. ‘If you have faith as small as a muster seed – nothing shall be impossible to you.’ These quotes were my beliefs and guided my life. Even as a child I felt deep down inside of me that I was going to do gr eat things in my life.

For my tips and suggestions you can read the entire article at Medium (see
link above)