Grief and Loss
Grief is our natural reaction to loss. Though we often associate grief with the death of someone significant in our lives, grief can accompany many kinds of loss. The grieving process is our way of making sense and meaning across a multitude of loss experiences.
Grief is not a process with a defined endpoint, and looks different at different stages, and affects various parts of your life differently. Grief can also look different from person to person, and there is no one "right way" to grieve."
You may notice grief showing up in a variety of ways:
- Cognitive: disbelief, confusion, preoccupation, dreams of the loss
- Emotional: sadness, anger, guilt, hopelessness, helplessness, shock, yearning, numbness
- Physical: headaches, back or chest pain, soreness, changes in sleep and appetite
- Behavioral: isolating from others, avoiding or focusing on reminders of the loss, changing routine activities
Connecting with support can make a crucial difference in your grieving process. The resources below may help you learn more about how grief affects us and ways you can cope with your grief or help a loved one who is grieving. If you would like to speak with a counselor about getting more support, please contact us.
Resources
Coping With Grief Information on the stages of grief and tips on ways to cope with grief and/or loss.
Responding to a Friend in Grief Ways to help a friend who is grieving or dealing with a loss.
The Symptoms and Stages of Grief
Dealing With Grief - Courtney’s Story