Grief is a universal emotion that is different for everyone.

How we experience a loss is dependent on innumerable variables. If the person was older and their passing was the culmination of months or years of illness, our grief can be mixed with some relief, both for them and for ourselves. If they were young and the loss was sudden or tragic, grief becomes an entirely different experience.

Oftentimes, friends and relatives will assume a loss is difficult because you were close with the person who passed. They may think your relationship was a supportive and comforting one, the kind where, no matter what, this person was there for you in the best and worst moments of your life, that you counted on them to comfort or protect you. And all of that might be true. 

What if the relationship was more complicated, though? Maybe it was strained and fraught with unspoken and unmet expectations. Perhaps it was even an abusive or traumatic one. In cases like this, their passing may feel more like release than loss.

Navigating all of these thoughts and emotions alone can make the journey through grief longer and more difficult.

Having a grief counselor to support us through a time when we’re at our most vulnerable, to help us learn to navigate a “new normal” and create a new day to day experience can mean the difference between moving forward so we can see there’s still a way to live without the person we’ve lost - or being stuck in a whirlpool of agonizing thoughts and emotions far longer than any of us want.

The journey through grief takes time and can feel lonely. There are counselors who can help so you don’t have to go through it alone.