Any list of losses would include death of a loved one or pet, and divorce or end of a relationship. Other events can also cause the emotional pain associated with grief, such as the loss of health or ability to enjoy favorite activities, loss of career or financial resources, and even happy occasions such as retirement, marriage, or the birth of a child. Every relationship is unique, and the range of emotions associated with those relationships is different for every individual. Grief is also individual and unique, therefore we cannot compare our losses and emotions with anyone else.
Myths about Grief
Each person grieves in ways that they have been taught, and expects others to do the same. Most of us were taught how to react to loss as children simply by observing what the adults around us were doing. Sometimes we were told how to feel by adults who didn’t know any better. Do any of the following statements sound familiar?
- Be strong for others
- Replace the loss (you can get a new pet, have another baby, marry again…)
- Grieve alone
- Don’t feel bad (or it could be worse)
- Time heals all wounds
- Just keep busy
The following short (6 minute) video clip talks about some of the myths people have been taught about dealing with the emotions related to grief.
If any of these ideas about grief are affecting your ability to complete the process of moving beyond the pain caused by a loss, contact me to see how The Grief Recovery Method® will help.
