What is grief? Grief is the natural emotional response we experience after a great loss. The death of a family member or friend can birth suffering that can seem overwhelming at times. You’ll experience a whirlwind of emotions, including sadness, anger, disbelief, or guilt. Grief can even affect you physically by making it difficult to eat or even to sleep. These are all normal reactions to grief, which can take many forms depending on the significance of your loss.

Losing a job, the death of a pet or a divorce are some major life events that can trigger a grieving response, but even subtle changes in our lives can spawn grief. Graduating from college, and moving away from home, all of these little things can trigger a grief response as well. The important thing to remember, however, is that there is no wrong way to grieve. We all grieve differently and for different things; your loss is personal to YOU. Whatever causes your grief, there are healthy ways of learning to cope with the intense emotions that come with it that will allow you to find new meaning and one day move on.

As mentioned above, there’s no right or wrong way to grieve. Grieving is an immensely personal experience, and how you grieve can depend on many factors, such as your personality, religious views, or life experiences. With that being said, healing takes time, and there is no set time a grieving period should last. It is healthy to take as long as you need and to let yourself feel the sadness and emotions that come with a loss. Remember to be patient with yourself and let the grieving process run naturally as it occurs to you.

When dealing with grief, it is often hard to consider how we can care for ourselves and ensure that we are taking adequate steps to process our grief in a healthy manner. So, what are some steps we can take to make sure we are looking after ourselves physically and emotionally as we experience grief?

• Face Your Feelings. To heal, one needs to acknowledge the emotions you’re feeling. Avoiding grief and the feelings associated with it can lead to a longer healing process, while unresolved grief can lead to more drastic issues such as substance abuse, anxiety disorders, and health problems.
• Express Yourself. Sometimes we aren’t ready to vocalize our feelings, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t express them. Writing about your grief in a journal or volunteering for a cause related to your grief can help you express the emotions you experience with grief in a creative and expressive way.
• Keep Your Hobbies. Humans are creatures of habit. Attempt to keep your routines to the best of your ability, and find comfort in the things you enjoy doing.
• Stay Physically Healthy. Body and mind are one and the same. When you’re feeling great physically, you’ll tend to feel better mentally as well. You can fight back negative emotions that come with grief by exercising, eating right, and getting plenty of rest. Leave alcohol or drugs out of the grieving process!

Here at WPA Counseling, we understand what grief is and that each person experiences it differently. If you’re having trouble processing grief, reach out to one of our counselors. We understand the intimate process of grieving and can help you cope and recover in healthy ways while we learn your story. You don’t have to grieve alone; reach out today and start sailing the seas of emotion with WPA Counseling as your lighthouse.