Remembering Hannah
As therapists, we are deeply connected not only to the humanity of our clients, but also to our own human experience. We grieve, we struggle, we question, we grow, and we carry the poignant, fragile pieces of being human in an unpredictable world. While we walk alongside our clients, we are also humans in flux, always in process- susceptible to pain as well as joy; struggle as well as triumph.
For many of us, however, nothing brings our humanity more to the forefront than experiencing the death of someone we care about. Over the past month, our Sync community has been collectively grieving the tragic loss of one of our therapists, Hannah Ngaihte. Hannah passed tragically in an accident on December 30th, 2021, and we have been deeply grieved together over the loss of our colleague and friend.
In remembering Hannah, we have celebrated many aspects of who she was and how deeply she impacted us. Hannah was:
A friend to laugh with in the hallway
A bright smile and a warm greeting
A world traveler
A baker of homemade muffins to share over coffee
One of a set of triplet siblings who recently celebrated their milestone birthday together in Joshua Tree
A trailblazer who liked to lead a group to climb the highest precipice to better see the stars
A runner and kickboxer
A person of deep faith, with a love for missionary calling
A gifted and compassionate therapist with children and families needing special support and guidance
A woman of integrity and earnest engagement with those around her, who always gave her all
It seems impossible that a light so bright could be snuffed out so quickly and senselessly. And yet, we know all too well that these painful losses happen- especially when they strike so close to home. It makes no sense, and still, we find ourselves with our lives changed, in the blink of an eye. Whether you are grieving Hannah with us, or perhaps someone else you have lost in your life, we are grieving alongside you. We too ask, “Why?”, feel anger, sadness, disbelief and sometimes denial- as we process shocking change that we did not expect nor invite into our lives.
Grief can be a heavy burden without a clear roadmap. In coming together to remember, grieve, and honor someone we love, we can experience feeling less alone, and we can keep a loved one’s memory alive–together. Grief is a journey best taken with others to help support us along the way. We at Sync understand grief well– and we are living it, ourselves. If we can support you in your journey, please connect with our community of therapists who are here to help share the burden with you.
And, to Hannah: We will miss you, our friend. The light that you ignited in each one of us is a flicker that warms and inspires us to keep moving forward with hope in our hearts, however slowly, and painfully. You should be here with us.
