“When we think of loss, we think of the loss through death, of people we love, but loss is a far more encompassing theme in our lives. For we lose not only through death, but also by leaving and being left, by changing and letting go and moving on…we are utterly powerless to offer ourselves or those we love protection from danger and pain, from the inroads of time, from the coming of age, from the coming of death; protection from our necessary losses.” -Judith Viorst
Grief is defined as a response to the loss of someone or some living thing that has died or to which an attachment has been formed but grief does not have to be limited to a loss through death. Grief can be associated with the loss of a relationship, a pet, a job, health, etc. Grief can also be broken down into physical, cognitive, behavioral, cultural, spiritual, social, philosophical and economical aspects. Grief does not look the same for any two people. Everyone grieves differently and in their own time. Some grieve silently while others express their grief openly. There are no rules for the grieving process. The recent changes in our world have left the majority of us exposed and vulnerable to grief. Whether we are grieving the loss of a loved one, or the loss of a life or lifestyle once lived, the recent times have brought about changes for us all through sudden and unavoidable mourning and isolation.
Grief and loss coaching allows one to understand their personal definition of grief and their relationship with loss and mourning. Coaching is provided to assist those experiencing grief to come to terms with the loss to find the hope and resilience that await on the other side of mourning, no matter what that process looks like even if it takes a little longer than expected.
They say that “weeping may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning” (Psalm 30:5). The key is to keep in mind that no one ever said how long the night would last.