Grief, Bereavement & Loss

Grief, loss, and bereavement are deeply human experiences that often touch every part of our emotional, physical, and psychological selves. 

Whether it's the death of a loved one, the end of a relationship, the loss of a job, or a change in health or identity, grief is not a one-size-fits-all experience. It can come in waves, feel overwhelming, or leave you feeling numb. However it shows up for you, it deserves space, compassion, and support.

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While often used interchangeably, each has a distinct meaning

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• Grief is the emotional and psychological response to loss—it can include a complex mix of sadness, anger, guilt, confusion, numbness, or even relief.

• Bereavement is the period of mourning and adjustment after a loss, typically associated with the death of someone close

• Loss refers to the absence of someone or something significant—this might be the death of a loved one, the end of a relationship, a miscarriage, loss of health, identity, or even a way of life.

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While many associate grief with bereavement- the death of a loved one- it can also follow other kinds of losses, such as:

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• Divorce or separation

• Miscarriage or infertility

• Loss of a pet

• Redundancy or retirement

• Loss of a sense of self, safety, or identity

• Major life transitions or trauma

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Common Experiences in Grief

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• Feeling like you're “going through the motions”

• Changes in sleep, appetite, or energy

• Difficulty concentrating or making decisions

• Emotional surges-tears, anger, panic

• Feeling disconnected from others or yourself

• Questioning faith, identity, or the meaning of life

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These are natural responses to loss. With the right support, they can gradually become more manageable.

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How Therapy Can Help

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In therapy, we gently explore your experience at your own pace. There is no timeline or 'right way' to grieve. Together, we can

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• Make space for painful emotions like sadness, anger, guilt, or numbness

• Understand the meaning and impact of the loss in your life

• Address feelings of isolation, anxiety, or depression

• Honour your connection to what (or who) has been lost

• Reconnect with a sense of purpose and hope

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Grief therapy offers a safe, non-judgemental space where your story is heard, and your process is respected.

 

Therapeutic support can help you

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1. Validate Your Feelings

Grief often brings overwhelming, confusing, or even conflicting emotions. Therapy makes room for whatever you’re feeling—sadness, anger, guilt, numbness—and honours your individual process.

2. Make Sense of the Loss

Especially after traumatic or sudden losses, therapy can help you explore the meaning of the loss, its impact on your life, and how it shapes your sense of self and future.

3. Reduce Isolation

Grieving can feel profoundly lonely, even when surrounded by others. Therapy provides steady support and helps you feel seen, heard, and less alone.

4. Support Adjustment and Integration

Therapy doesn’t aim to “fix” grief, but to help you live alongside it. This might involve creating new routines, roles, or sources of meaning—while continuing to honour what has been lost.

5. Work Through Complicated Grief

When grief feels stuck, prolonged, or entwined with trauma, depression, or anxiety, therapy can offer tools to gently untangle and heal these layers.

6. Offer Trauma-Informed Support

If the loss involved trauma—such as sudden death, suicide, or medical crisis—therapy can help regulate your nervous system, rebuild a sense of safety, and process difficult memories with care.

7. Explore Legacy and Connection

Grief doesn’t always mean saying goodbye. Therapy can support ways of maintaining a meaningful connection with what (or who) was lost—through rituals, memory work, storytelling, or creative expression.

 

 

Grief Models That Help Make Sense of Loss

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Grief is never a one-size-fits-all experience. Everyone’s journey through loss is different-there’s no “right” way to grieve. However, over the years, psychologists and therapists have developed several models that can help us understand the emotional, mental, and physical responses we may go through after a significant loss.

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These models aren’t rules, but they can provide insight, validation, and language for what you may be feeling.

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The Five Stages of Grief (Kübler-Ross Model)

Perhaps the most well-known framework, Dr. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross introduced the five stages of grief as a way to understand how people come to terms with terminal illness. It has since been widely applied to many types of grief and bereavement.

 

The stages include:

1. Denial – Feeling shocked, numb, or disconnected from reality

2. Anger – Experiencing frustration, resentment, or a sense of injustice

3. Bargaining – Dwelling on “what ifs” or wishing things had turned out differently

4. Depression – Deep sadness, withdrawal, or emotional heaviness

5. Acceptance – Beginning to adjust and find peace, without forgetting

 

These stages don’t happen in order and you may revisit some more than once. They’re not a linear checklist-just possible emotional responses to loss.

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The Dual Process Model of Grief

This model, developed by Stroebe and Schut, describes grief as a dynamic process involving a natural oscillation between two modes of coping:

• Loss-Oriented – Focusing on what’s been lost, feeling the pain, reflecting on memories

• Restoration-Oriented – Rebuilding routines, engaging in daily life, and adjusting to change

 

Moving between these two modes is considered healthy and necessary. It allows you to process your grief while still living and adapting.

 

 

Worden’s Four Tasks of Mourning

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Psychologist J. William Worden framed grief as four active tasks that help individuals process and integrate their loss:

1. Accept the reality of the loss

2. Allow yourself to feel and process the pain

3. Adjust to life without the person or situation

4. Find a way to stay connected while moving forward

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These tasks give structure to grief without enforcing rigid timelines or expectations.

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Continuing Bonds Theory

This model rejects the idea that we must “let go” to move on. Instead, it honours the idea that we can continue a meaningful internal relationship with the person we’ve lost-through memory, ritual, or emotional connection.

 

Rather than forgetting, this approach embraces remembrance as a healthy part of healing.

 

Grief is a testament to love, connection, and change. While it can feel like everything has been torn apart, it can also be a time of deep reflection and transformation. Therapy doesn’t erase the pain—but it offers a companion through the darkness, a space to breathe, and the tools to rebuild when you're ready.