Supporting a friend or loved one

Grief

Grief does not have a predictable timeline or set of expectations. Nor does it come with a “script” that caring family members and friends can follow to comfort the bereaved. But there are steps you can take to provide compassionate support.

Grief complications

Grief

Although grief is painful and can feel disabling, most people who experience loss return to their pre-loss level of functioning, or even improved functioning, within several months.  However, some people need additional support. Underlying medical conditions, your personal history and external support systems, the type of loss and variables in the relationship all play a…

Grief in the workplace

Grief

Grief and loss can dramatically affect the workplace. Whether you are returning to work after a loss or supporting a bereaved coworker or employee, consider these helpful strategies and best practices. Returning to work after loss Bereavement-leave policies range from generous to inadequate, depending on the employer. Many employees feel they must return to work…

Research on grief and grieving

Grief

Researchers have studied grief and grieving for decades. Many of their findings can be helpful to people who are grieving or providing support to the bereaved. Below are brief summaries of some significant grief and loss research published in recent decades. Resilience after loss Dr. George Bonano The author of The Other Side of Sadness:…

The Journey of Grief

Grief

“I thought the funeral would bring me some closure and I could move on.” Comments like this are often heard by grief counselors. Somehow, we are told, there is an action or event that can bring us some sort of closure, or release, from our grief. This event can be the funeral. Once we see…

Helping Children Cope with Loss

Grief

“How do I tell my child?” This question frequently comes up whenever children face a death—whether it is the death of a parent, grandparent, other relative, or friend. Recent research has a reassuring message that reaffirms that children can be resilient, even in the face of loss. However, there are specific things that parents can…

The Loneliness of Loss

Grief

Dr. Ruth Westheimer, the well-known sex therapist and talk-show host known as simply Dr. Ruth, has embarked on a new crusade—combatting loneliness. It is a worthy challenge. The U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has called loneliness an epidemic and a public health crisis, raising awareness about the extensive risks that loneliness entails—comparing it to smoking…

Is it Sadness—or Depression?

Grief

We often use the word depression very lightly, as a synonym for sadness. We can be “depressed” that the day is cloudy or when we had a bad day at work. Yet depression is more than simply sadness; it is a psychiatric diagnosis that requires assessment and treatment. That distinction is a critical one when…

Survival Tips for Grief

Grief

After the loss of a loved one, it can be difficult to see how to ever go on. The grief journey may seem like a mountain that is too difficult to climb. Here are some steps you can take that may help ease that journey: Allow your grief No step is more important than this….

Teens and grief

Grief

Ask an Expert Question My father died last summer. He seemed fine but when the doctor said he had cancer in his pancreas he died in three weeks. I couldn’t believe it. No one at school understands because their parents are all alive, so now I hate being there. If I had a brother or sister…

Loss and Shock

Grief

Death is shocking. Although we may know that a loved one is seriously ill or close to dying, the finality of death can feel unreal. Death is a harsh reality to grasp. It can feel like a disturbing dream or a nightmare. We wish we could wake up and be free of this unwanted reality,…