You can’t truly heal from a loss until you allow yourself to really feel the loss

Unfortunately, grief is one of those emotions we are all likely to experience at some point in our lives whether it be in response to losing a loved one or adapting to one of life’s many changes. A number of us are familiar with the five stages of grief and while I believe in their utility as a general reference in understanding grief, it is important to emphasize the intricacies of our grief are as unique as we are as human beings. 

I have often heard people speak about how they should be feeling or comparing their feelings to how someone else is adjusting to the same loss. Now, on top of their initial grief reaction, such individuals are experiencing secondary feelings of guilt and that something is wrong with them, adding to the complexity of the treatment process and why working with an experienced clinician is key.