Stroebe, M. S., Hansson, R. O., Schut, H., & Stroebe, W. (2001). Handbook of bereavement research: Consequences, coping, and care. American Psychological Association.
Bereavement is the state of experiencing the loss of someone significant through death and navigating the emotional, psychological, and social adjustments that follow. It is a deeply personal experience that can affect individuals in different ways depending on their relationship to the deceased, their coping mechanisms, and cultural or spiritual beliefs. Bereavement involves not only the recognition of the loss but also the beginning of the long and often difficult process of adapting to life without the loved one. This process may include feelings of sadness, anger, confusion, or even relief, and it often unfolds in phases over time. Understanding bereavement as a normal and necessary part of life can help individuals and communities provide better support to those who are grieving.
Bereavement Support Group
This compassionate, faith-based group offers a safe and supportive environment to share your story, process your grief, and find comfort among others who are walking a similar journey.
Each week, participants will explore different aspects of the grief process, guided by experienced facilitators who offer practical tools, spiritual support, and opportunities for healing. Whether your loss is recent or long ago, you are welcome.
Bereavement Resources
From Darkness to Light: Understanding Mourning, Overcoming Shame, and Rediscovering Joy
The Five Friends You Meet on Your Grief Journey
Understanding Grief
Sixty Seconds to Calm
Recognizing Your Own Progress through Grief
How do you know you’re making progress in your mourning? Remember that change isn’t always obvious and dramatic; it is a process that takes place over time. The grief experience is different for everyone, it doesn’t happen all at once or at the same rate of speed. And unless you’re aware of the clues of recovery and their significance, your progress through grief may be so subtle and so gradual that you won’t notice it at all.
If you can recognize certain changes in attitudes, feelings, and behaviors in yourself, you can measure your own progress through grief. Become aware of your own healing. Notice when you are able to:
Drive somewhere by yourself without crying the entire time.
Get through a day without feeling tired all the time.
Concentrate on a book, movie, or television program.
Not to think of your loved one for a period of time, however brief.
Get through a few hours or days nearly free of pain.
Return to a daily routine.
Eat, sleep, and exercise normally again.
Patrcipate in a religious service without crying.
Accept invitations from friends and family.
Listen to music you both loved without crying.
Be more aware of the pain and suffering of others around you.
Be more patient with yourself and with others.
Notice others in like circumstances, and recognize and accept that the loss is a common life experience.
Reach out to another in a similar situation.
Realize that the sometimes thoughtless comments of others stem from ignorance, not malice.
Find something to be thankful for.
Be patient with yourself through grief attacks.
Feel confident again.
Accept things as they are without trying to recapture the way they used to be.
Think less about the past.
This is an excerpt from the book, Finding Your Way through Grief: A Guide for the First Year, Second Edition. by Marty Tousley, CNS-BC, FT ©2008. If you would like a copy of the entire book, please call: 602.530.6970