Grief

While grief is most closely associated with the death of a loved one, it is a normal human reaction to significant loss. Being fired, retiring, moving, divorce and saying farewell to a beloved pet, all can trigger grief.

Compounding grief is the paralyzing fear of failing at grief — as if there is a wrong way to grieve. Some feel guilty that having a happy day or making progress (“moving on”) is disrespectful. There is no “average” amount of time to heal. Some get angry and then enter denial. Others do that in reverse.

There is only one wrong way to grieve. Trying to ignore it. That never works. With therapy, “Living forward” happens.