The Stages of Grief

The stages of grief are not meant to be prescriptive, but rather a descriptive tool to help our minds understand what the abstract term “grief” tangibly may look and feel like.

Grief and Joy

grieving well means having resilience for feeling the pain, but also knowing that you are okay, that you will make it through, and, as a result, that you will experience both immense pain and immense joy.

Being Present With Grief

Grief is best served when witnessed by a loving presence.  This is the ointment needed to soothe the wounds of a grieving person, according to renowned grief specialist, David Kessler. Just being present with grief means more than we know.

A Mindset of Successful Grieving

It is not a question of whether we will experience loss and pain; it is a question of when. Although grief is unavoidable, it does provide options.  We can choose to face mourning with the mindset of grieving successfully.

Letting Go of Understanding

Have you ever experienced a traumatic or extremely disappointing event in your life? Maybe you lost a loved one or special friend unexpectantly; or a significant relationship ended and you were devastated. Often times, we seek to understand the purpose of these painful events. We may have many unanswered questions about the hurtful event.

Grief That Doesn’t Fit In: Part 2

If you have experienced a grief that is disenfranchised or if you recognize that others in your life may have, it is vital to find a way to make space for open mourning.

Often, when grief is disenfranchised, it is a result of beliefs about the way things should work and how people are supposed to relate to their world.

Lamenting a Loss

When loss occurred, the community took the time to surround those who had suffered and allowed them the emotional space to offer a cry of sorrow and grief. Often the community itself offered a cry of sorrow for a loss. This is far from our modern day thinking about grief.

The Landscape of Loss

We are a society that loves to acquire. So when loss comes (as it inevitably will) we find ourselves generally ill-equipped to respond.

Learning to Grieve Your Loss

By the age of forty, most people have experienced some form of loss at least fifteen times. The journey takes courage. Grief is not an easy path to negotiate and simply taking the next step forward is often fraught with overwhelming feelings. Is recovery from loss possible? Yes – although the definition of recovery may need some explanation.

On Grieving: Crying is not Weakness

Grief is a normal part of life. With every loss we experience, however large or small, there is a grieving process that ensues. We may not always be consciously aware that we are grieving or we may not allow it, but grief is there. And if we don’t grieve fully, it will harm us in the long run, popping up in unexpected ways.