With the loss of a loved one, a job, a role in your community or family, or the loss of the ability to function in the world as you may have been able to do before, there is a feeling of unrest and of things just not being right. Your world is now different and it may feel like there is a hole that cannot be filled.

 

It can be tempting to try to just move on, to grin and bear it, to try to be strong for loved ones. And this can work for a time, but it is not sustainable. We cannot move through grief without mourning.

 

As a psychologist I understand the support needed in times of mourning. A safe space is crucial for unpacking all that you are carrying. Inevitably there were good times and bad times, there are things that you will miss and things you will be glad to leave behind. And there is a future ahead of you. Grief work is about making space for both the things you want to hold onto and the things you want to let go, and then making space to look forward.