Latest news with #LynnZakeri
Forbes
11-08-2025
- Forbes
How Travel Helps You Process Grief, According to Experts
Rear view. Blonde woman in yellow dress getty When grief hits, the instinct is often to retreat. But for some people, changing environments can help create the space needed to begin healing. Grief travel (sometimes called a 'griefcation') is gaining attention as a powerful tool to support the grieving process. Whether it's a solo trip for quiet reflection, a return to a place filled with memories, or a wellness retreat that offers professional support, travel can offer the kind of emotional distance, perspective, and rituals that daily life rarely allows. The blissful moment on top of a mountain getty 'Griefcation isn't a clinical term,' says Lynn Zakeri, LCSW, a licensed therapist based in Chicago, 'but it captures something I've seen again and again, with clients and also in my own life.' She describes it as stepping out of the demands of everyday life—not to escape grief, but to finally give it room to exist. 'To cry without feeling like you have to pull it together… to have feelings and not apologize for them—that's powerful.' Dr. Gail Saltz, Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the NY Presbyterian Hospital Weill-Cornell School of Medicine, agrees that travel can offer relief—but she cautions against treating it as a one-size-fits-all solution. 'It's more recognized in the travel industry than in mental health,' she says. 'For some individuals, travel based in grief recovery can have benefits, but it is not a one size fits all and it is not prescribed as a treatment for grief.' Girl holding heart-shape symbol for love in sunset / sunrise time. getty One of the main reasons travel can support healing is that it interrupts the routines that reinforce absence. 'Most people don't get to grieve 'on demand' between work meetings or school pickups,' Zakeri says. 'Travel offers a pause. The change in scenery quiets the daily noise and lets emotions safely rise to the surface.' That change in environment may also give grief a different texture. 'A very different setting can create enough distance from the day-to-day feelings of loss to allow a more manageable amount of grief to be present,' says Saltz. 'As opposed to being awash in it and overwhelmed.' Zakeri recalls one personal experience where a spontaneous sunrise unlocked tears she hadn't been able to access at home. 'Now every sunrise brings that same person to mind,' she says. 'It doesn't feel unbearable—it feels tender.' Is It Healing—Or Avoidance? Young caucasian man standing in the middle of a prairie with his arms outstretched, enjoying a beautiful sunny day in the nature. getty Not all travel is helpful, though. Experts warn that grief travel shouldn't be used to suppress or deny feelings. 'If travel is used to deny death or to pretend the person is waiting at home, then it's not really processing the grief,' Saltz says. Zakeri draws a line between intentional space and avoidance. 'I've seen families go on fast-paced, distraction-heavy trips just to get through something—like the first holiday season without someone. That's different from making space to feel what you need to feel.' A key sign: If your trip gently invites emotion or reflection, it's more likely to support healing than hinder it. Choosing the Right Kind of Trip Mental support, comforting another person getty Grief is personal—so it makes sense that the best destinations vary widely. Zakeri says some people find comfort in nature: 'The ocean, forests, sunrises… they don't ask anything of you. They just hold space.' Others may want to return to a place filled with memories, or choose somewhere entirely new to explore a future without the person they've lost. 'There's no wrong answer,' she says. 'Just like buying a house, you'll know when a place feels right.' Saltz notes that structured trips with grief support programming can be especially helpful. 'There's no expectation to be 'normal'—grief is understood and allowed,' she says. What to Do While You're There Full length of woman walking on wet sea shore at sunset. Female in sundress is leaving her footprints on sand. Rear view of woman spending strolling on idyllic beach. getty Whether traveling solo or with a trusted companion, incorporating small rituals can deepen the emotional benefit of the trip. Zakeri recommends writing letters to your loved one, journaling one sentence a day, or talking to them out loud while walking. 'I've had clients make playlists, take meaningful photos, or light a candle each night,' she says. 'These rituals don't have to be elaborate. They just need to be yours.' Saltz echoes the value of ritual and memory. 'Memorial rituals can help the idea of lost but present, a celebration of their life, appreciation for what you had with them, and a method of letting them go.' After the Trip Ends Coming home from a grief-focused trip can be emotionally jarring. 'You might think you lost the progress you made,' Zakeri says, 'but that's not accurate. Just because you still feel grief when you return doesn't mean you're not healing.' Both experts recommend carrying something forward—whether it's continuing a journaling habit, joining a support group, or simply holding on to a small ritual— because grief isn't 'resolved' on a trip. 'Grief is a long up and down process,' says Saltz. 'They may have a setback of readjustment again, but they may also have new insight about the loss and feel more accepting of it.' As Zakeri puts it, 'You're allowed to keep grieving and keep living—at the same time.'
Forbes
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
3 Experts Explain Why Gen Z Can't Seem to Find Happiness
Young Gen Z asian girl wearing casual sweatshirt with hoodie over white background. Relaxed with sad ... More expression on face. Simple and natural looking at the camera. How many of you wish that you could go back in time and experience your twenties again? I don't know about you, but I certainly do. For many of us, this decade represents some of the best years of our lives. And why shouldn't it? After all, this was a time of learning, excitement, and adventure. Now, being young isn't for the faint of heart. It's messy, with ebbs and flows that take you around tons of curves along the way. But, for many Gen Zers, they feel like life is simply an endless valley. For them, happiness and, dare I say, hope feels absolutely unattainable to this generation. Just take a look at the recent Global Flourishing Study conducted by Harvard University in conjunction with Baylor University. After analyzing over 200,000 young people across 22 countries, the report found something absolutely shocking. For the first time ever, young people between the ages of 18 and 29, are in a happiness crisis. Happiness is flatlining for an entire generation and many of them can't figure out how to bring this emotion back to life again. So, are Gen Zs the only ones struggling? Well, they're not the only generation, but statistics consistently prove that they are one of the most impacted. In fact, a recent study conducted by the American Psychological Association discovered that over 90% of Gen Zs have experienced at least one physical or emotional symptom due to ongoing stress. However, even though they're the most likely to experience high rates of stress they're actually the least likely to talk about it with those around them because they don't want to be a burden. So, how did we get here? Were there any clues that we missed? Well, to answer some of those questions, I've reached out to three mental health experts and asked them their thoughts on this topic. Here are some of their theories on why Gen Z is struggling to find happiness: Kelsey M. Latimer, Ph.D., psychologist and CEO of KML Psychological Services, suggests, 'Some in Gen Z appear overwhelmed with pressure to be the best in all things, ensuring they have the best college applications and are best positioned for the future.' The stress of perfectionism is massive within this generation. In fact, according to a recent Gallup study, almost one in three Gen Zers believe that they have to be perfect. Interestingly, this number is even higher in girls than boys (40% to 26%). Lynn Zakeri, owner of Lynn Zakeri LCSW Clinical Services, echoes Latimer, but even goes one step further. She says, 'Gen Z inherited the pressure to be emotionally fluent, socially conscious, digitally present, and endlessly evolving—with no pause to just be.' The influx of technology and innovation is incredible and there's no greater time to be a business leader than now. But, has the genesis of tech left us with the growing pressure to constantly evolve? Has stillness become incompatible with the modern workplace and way of life? Zakeri makes the case that Generation Z is struggling to find happiness because society as a whole is more concerned with innovation than introspection. Perhaps she's right. And perhaps there's a way that we can create spaces for both productivity and personal health within the 2025 workplace. Lastly, Daren Banarsë, MA BACP, a senior psychotherapist with a private practice in Central London, England, brings forth one other observation. He reveals, 'I see young adults who've never learned to sit with discomfort, who experience panic when their phones die, who feel physically ill when Instagram is down.' He's not alone in his observation. During an interview with NPR back in 2017, Jean M. Twenge, Ph.D., professor of psychology at San Diego State University, postulated the theory that the influx of smartphone usage in 2012 had a direct impact on the rise of loneliness. For years, research has been conducted around the influence of technology in relation to young people, but until now, much of the conversation was based in theory. However, that's no longer the case. Many professionals, according to a recent study by the McKinsey Health Institute, are now discovering a huge connection between social media and how it impacts the way young people see themselves and view their worth. Gen Z is truly struggling to find happiness. Now, perhaps this will change as life becomes more stable or they go through different stages of adulthood. But, as business leaders, we have the ability to impact change and create spaces that foster happiness for our employees now. And that starts with giving Gen Z the freedom to come to work with their whole self, even if they're struggling to find joy. The more they understand that your business is a safe space for them, the more they'll be able to find community, hope, and dare I say happiness.
