Navigating Grief & Loss

Loss – the real or perceived deprivation of something that is deemed as meaningful. A loss can be death related or nondeath related.

Grief – the normal and natural reaction to loss, any loss.

Mourning – the process that one goes through in adapting to the death of a person

Bereavement – defines the loss to which the person is trying to adapt and the experience of having lost someone close.

Hospice Care is end of life care that occurs when doctors believe there are six months of less left to live. Hospice Care is used to help with pain and symptoms management, emotional support, and coaching for caregivers. Click here to read more

Palliative Care is the management and treatment of other needs while working to decrease pain, stress and discomfort. With Palliative Care curative options are still available and can be used in conjunction with care.

There are many different theories with how people grieve a loss. At Hope Grows, we help people through Acceptance, Processing of the Pain, Adjusting to the Loss and Finding an Enduring Connection with the Deceased while Embarking on a New Life. 

We grieve based on quite a few factors. Who the person was that died, the health of the attachment with the person, how the person died, how we grieved in the past, our personality, how we problem solve and cope with life changes, social variables and concurrent stressors.

There are many ways in which grief can be experienced. We can be affected emotionally, cognitively, physically, spiritually, socially, economically and behaviorally.

People may find it too painful to talk about their loss, crying indicates someone is not coping well, the grieving process should last about one year, quickly putting grieving behind will speed the process of healing, and understanding the stages/phases of grief will help someone to heal faster and that time heals all wounds.

No, we do not every forget or get over a loss. However, the deep pain of loss gets better over time as we allow the healing to happen.

Every person’s journey with grief is different. Some people feel better after a few weeks and some people may take months or years. There is no correct way to grieve, but taking the time to fully process your grief may make it easier to heal.

During the grieving process, some days are better than others and that’s okay. If you start to begin using substances to cope, feeling so depressed or anxious that daily living is difficult, or feeling like ending your life, it IS time to get professional help.

Children just want someone to tell the truth. Be honest, clear and gentle about what is or has happened. Try to avoid using euphemisms like “going to sleep” because this has the potential to be even more confusing for the child and even fear inducing. Be mindful of how the developmental stage of the child could impact their understanding of death and fear of losing others. Contact Hope Grows to help guide you.

Yes, this is experiencing the loss spiritually. Loss can stir up many emotions and cause us to question everything we know. We may begin wondering why bad things happen to good people? Why did this happen to me? Or how do I honor the legacy of my loved one? Regular rituals such as attending church services, prayer or doing activities your loved one enjoyed can be great ways to honor their legacy and cope with their loss. It can also be helpful to seek the support of religious or spiritual figures, peers, or a counselor to help you process how you are feeling after the loss.

It can be helpful to find another person like a friend, relative or counselor to help process the feelings that are coming up, maintain hope, and prepare for the death.

When someone confides in us about losing a loved one it can be difficult to know what to say. We may be dealing with our own discomforts around the topics of death, dying, and losing our loved ones. Here is a list of helpful and not so helpful things to say to someone who is grieving.

(I’m not sure I want to put these links)

• Read about these questions and more here

• • The Cancer Counsel Grief Questions
  • Stanford Grief Questions