What is Grief?

Grief is a natural and healthy response to loss. It is the emotional suffering you experience when you lose someone or something that is close to you. Before you begin to embrace life again, you must work through this process. This involves several phases that are experienced in your own way and during your own timeline. There is no right or wrong way in dealing with grief. You must be gentle with yourself as you walk through this journey.

Coping with the loss of someone or something you love is one of life’s biggest challenges. The way a person grieves can often be determined by many factors including culture, upbringing, age, and gender. While often you associate grief with the loss of a human being, any loss can cause grief including: loss of health, death of a pet, loss of a job, divorce or breakup, retirement, a miscarriage, trauma, loss of friendship and even discomfort. It is also important to note that everyone has a different way of grieving and you must respect the individual’s process and be patient.

The grieving process can often seem very overwhelming. Many difficult and unexpected emotions can occur, from shock or anger to disbelief, guilt, denial and profound sadness. Dealing with your feelings helps bring meaning to life and to the relationships with your loved ones, allowing the healing process to begin. After loss, grief will come and go throughout your life, but can be manageable. Whatever the cause of your grief, there are many healthy ways to cope with the pain. This may ease your sadness and help you come to terms with your loss, find new meaning, and eventually move forward with your life, allowing you to remember and honor our loved one in a way most meaningful for your journey. Through the heartache, hope is possible.