Grief in a Time of Transition

We grieve all sorts of things. Basically, we grieve when things change, and things are always changing. It feels as if more things are changing at the moment, although I’m not completely sure that’s true.

What I do know is true is that we and our clients are grieving all sorts of things lost in this time of COVID 19, and could use both some direction and some encouragement. Here is a bit of both from some smart and wise people:

Tasks of Grief:
1. Accepting the reality of the loss.
2. Experiencing the emotions associated with it.
3. Adjusting to the environment in which the change has occurred.
4. Begin to relocate the loss, emotionally, and move on with life.
~ William Worden, “Grief Counseling and Grief Therapy”

Growth-Oriented Grief:
1. Discover all aspects of what has been lost.
2. Discover what is left.
3. Discover what is now possible, that would not have been possible if the loss had not occurred.
~ John Schneider, “Stress, Grief and Loss”

When we’re on an unknown road, it’s good to have a map.