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When a crisis affects everyone who do you turn to for support?

Psychologist Susan Silk developed the concept of Ring Theory after her own experience with breast cancer. She noticed that well-intentioned loved ones and acquaintances would complain to her about the impact of her own illness at a time when she couldn't offer support. In this short clip, Dr. Julie Smith shares what to do when a crisis seems to affect everyone in your life. Who do you go to to vent or complain? Who do you ask for support?

[0:00 - 0:59] Susan:

If the worst happens like a major illness or even death and it affects everyone, then who supports, who will, here's the person at the center of the tragedy and they might have Children at the center of that with them, then they might have a ring of support in their family and then their friends, then their colleagues and acquaintances, then everyone else like support services and professionals. So if you're anywhere in this situation, here's how to know where to turn for support.

When you're facing inward to the people who are at the center of things, That's when you focus on giving comfort and making it all about them.

But when you need someone to lean on, that's when you focus outward towards people who are further away from the center of that tragedy.

So wherever you are, your support flows inwards and your venting flows outwards this way, you can still support the person at the center of things, but you can also get the support that you need from the people who are going to have the capacity to offer it to you.

Option B is a foundation that helps people navigate loss and support their loved ones.

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