Losing someone you love can be like losing one half of yourself. The pain and emptiness felt during the grieving process can go on for months or years, however no two people will ever respond to the same situation in the same way. Working through grief is a day by day, week by week process. You may have bad days when you think you will never recover from this loss. You may also think that you will never function successfully without this person in your life. The good news is that you will recover and you will be fully functional, if you choose to.

Each and every one of us changes in some way after the death of someone we love. Some of us may harden after the experience; some will soften, but those who choose to learn and grow from this tragic time, will go on with their life remembering ‘what was’ and appreciating ‘what is’. Learning about grief is helpful to the grieving process. In this series of posts, we will explore the common reactions of those experiencing a loss, together with looking at strategies for coping, assisting others who are grieving and facing the future.

Follow-Up Posts:

  1. Losing a Loved One: Common Reactions
  2. Losing a Loved One: Stages of Grief
  3. Losing a Loved One: Secondary Losses
  4. Losing a Loved One: Prior Losses
  5. Losing a Loved One: Strategies to Cope
  6. Losing a Loved One: Helpful Tips and Rituals
  7. Losing a Loved One: Helping Others Grieve
  8. Losing a Loved One: Helping Children Grieve
  9. Losing a Loved One: Gender Differences
  10. Losing a Loved One: Abnormal Grief
  11. Losing a Loved One: Moving Forward