Coping with the Loss of Ruth George

In the wake of the tragic death of UIC student Ruthie George, the Counseling Center has been reaching out to the UIC community in classroom settings, campus gatherings, and availability to small groups and individuals coming to the Counseling Center. This is a time when students need support, and we would like to be as present and helpful as possible as the community copes with this loss.

We hope you will be mindful of how Ruthie’s death impacts your well-being. It is normal to feel a range of emotions during this time, from numbness, to anger, to confusion, to intense sadness; these do not always occur in a linear way and can take time to work through. Rather than resist grief, we hope you can accept your grief as an invitation to remember and cherish the personhood of Ruthie George, and perhaps to consider how to channel your emotions into efforts to address violence against women. We encourage you to do your best to follow good practice for your health and well-being as you give yourself permission to move forward to integrate this loss in your life. We believe that doing so honors Ruthie’s concern and caring for others.

During this holiday season, please take this opportunity to hold family and friends close and remember the Ruthie George family as they hold each other close in the face of their tragic loss. Please know that you are not alone to bear this loss and your feelings about it; we hope that you will seek support from trusted others, including mental health professionals, and allow yourself to be cared for as you process these events and their impact. We welcome students to the Counseling Center to discuss available resources on and off campus; you can also find relevant resources on our website and are welcome to access our After-Hours Crisis counselor by calling the Counseling Center (312-996-3490) outside of our business hours.

In sympathy,

The UIC Counseling Center staff