Ligia Houben

Ligia Houben is a speaker and educator in the area of life transitions. She works with the bereaved, the person who needs to face a new stage in life, children of aging parents, or people searching for more meaning in their lives. She consults with individuals and corporations on life transitions and spirituality with the purpose of providing tools to transform losses and challenges. Ligia obtained her B.A. from the University of Miami in Psychology and Religious Studies and a Masters Degree in Religious Studies and Gerontology from Florida International University. She also has a graduate certificate in Loss and Healing from St. Thomas University, a certificate in Thanatology and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Grief Counseling. Besides being a speaker, she is an author, coach, counselor and consultant. She is an adjunct professor of Kaplan University, Florida International University and Miami Dade College where she teaches courses on Ethics, Religion and Death and Dying. More... Ligia is the author of the self-help book, "Transform your Loss: An Anthology of Strength and Hope." This book contains "The Eleven Principles of Transformation™" which is a system that involves the emotional, spiritual, and cognitive aspects of the person as they face a transition or loss. Ligia created this system of transformation to help people transform their losses and change their lives. Reach her through her website, http://www.ligiahouben.com.

Articles:

Counseling Hispanics Through Loss, Grief and Bereavement.

I recently was interviewed on how Hispanics experience loss. Below is a transcript. SpringBoard: How would you say Hispanics may experience loss differently than non-Hispanics? LH: Losses are universal and grief is unique. We (Hispanics) bring our values and traditions to the way we demonstrate grief, bereavement, and mourning. For example, Hispanics traditionally want to keep grieving at home; they count on family support instead of going somewhere else to ask for help. There have been changes now because of assimilation and acculturation, but mainly these are values that are intrinsic in our culture, and that’s why there may be a […]

Loss of Homeland

One of the greatest losses a Hispanic immigrant experiences is the loss of their homeland. Ignoring this loss could have negative consequences on their adjustment to a new country and their assimilation into a new culture. It’s a loss that can be debilitating, and can turn into grief. So, how can we, as mental health professionals, help such a client? One of the best things to do when working with such clients is an assessment to better understand the context in which they feel this loss. These are some of the questions you may ask: When did you arrive to the […]

Compassion is Most Important Value for Helping Others

I recently attended the 33rd conference of ADEC (The Thanatology Association), which this year was combined with the International Conference on Grief and Bereavement in Contemporary Society. The conference was held in my hometown of Miami, Florida. The information and education I received throughout the week was just wonderful. I attended many workshops and confirmed that the most meaningful value a person can possess when helping others in their grieving process is compassion. Compassion is to understand the worldview of the other person at a soul level, leaving aside personal agendas. It is being present without judgment or expectations. Compassion […]

Rituals Can Help the Grieving During Holidays

For some people, the holidays symbolize a time of nostalgic memories, losses, and remembrance. These feelings of loss may bring grief to our souls that at times cannot be expressed or shared with others, especially when one is supposed to be cheerful and happy. If you have recently experienced the loss of a loved one, the holidays may bring a sensation of a void as we miss the person who, physically, is no longer with us. Even though we may not feel like celebrating, we can still remember our loved one in a meaningful manner and a beautiful way to […]

To We Who Have Lost Our Fathers, Happy Father’s Day

A few weeks ago, it was my father’s birthday. Although he died 38 years ago, his memory is always in my heart. And it is in these days — anniversaries, birthdays, Father’s Day — that his memory comes to life again with more intensity, with more pain, with more emotions. It is in these days when we remember once more how much we miss our loved one. As the head of my family, my father was the source of strength and stability. When I lost him, I felt something of me had gone with him. For many years, I needed […]

Dealing With Loss in the Workplace

Losses are part of life. A colleague lost his wife in a car accident. A fellow employee lost her home. Your supervisor is going through a divorce. All these transitions are losses experienced by people every day, but do we acknowledge them at the workplace? Unfortunately it doesn’t happen on a regular basis. Grief is the natural response to loss and it can have a huge effect on how we experience life. It can be manifested at various levels and in different dimensions, such as the physical, social, emotional and spiritual. How can you respond as a manager, supervisor or […]