Grieving the death of a loved one can be a painful and lonely experience. It can change our world by altering our relationships with others, and our own sense of identity. Our daily habits are disrupted, activities associated with specific roles are lost, and life plans are derailed in the wake of significant loss. Frequently, it is difficult for us to know if the feelings and reactions we are experiencing are normal ones.

Our society encourages us to  “get over it and get on with life.” This leads to further pain and isolation. Grief is the natural response to profound loss and is the expression of the strong bond you had with the person who died. No two people grieve in exactly the same way. The way we express our grief is influenced by many things, such as:

• the circumstances of the death
• the relationship with the deceased
• one’s culture, religion and personal beliefs
• how we have dealt with previous losses

Grief, the natural response to a loss, is actually a whole array of feelings that deserve attention and care.  Some normal grief responses include: