Journeys with Grief: Expert Help in Facing Loss

: Grief impacts each of us differently

Because each loss is unique, we may experience a wide range of emotions. For some, the experience of grief may be physical: aches and pains, difficulty eating or sleeping, fatigue. Grief can affect our spiritual selves, too; our relationship with our faith beliefs may change or grow stronger.

"One lives in the hope of becoming a memory."
- Antonio Porchia

"The song is ended, but the melody lingers on"
- Irving Berlin

Depression or prolonged grief disorder (PGD)? Many people wonder if they are depressed when they experience PGD or other grief complications.

Although some of the feelings can appear or feel the same, prolonged grief and depression are different. The two conditions also can coexist — a situation more prevalent in people with a history of depression.

Unlike depression, no medication has been shown to be effective for prolonged grief, but there are effective interventions. Read more here: https://hospicefoundation.org/grief-complications/

After studying the diverse ways that people grieve, Drs. Kenneth J. Doka and Terry Martin identified three primary grieving “styles” unrelated to gender, age, or culture:

• Intuitive grievers express grief through words and emotions.
• Instrumental grievers express grief in action-oriented ways, channeling their grief into tasks.
• Blended grievers express their grief in both intuitive and instrumental ways. Most people fall into this category.

Importantly, these experts find that grief styles are not a measure of love for the person who died. But differences in grieving styles may cause friction or misunderstandings, especially within families and other intimate networks.

"There are three needs of the griever: To find the words for the loss, to say the words aloud and to know that the words have been heard."
- Victoria Alexander

SALE👉 Journeys Newsletter: Anticipatory Grief Issue
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This new, special issue of Journeys explores and validates the experience of anticipatory grief common to hospice caregivers, intimate networks, and patients. Readers will find comforting advice from bereavement experts explaining the many facets of anticipatory grief along with suggested coping strategies.

It's an essential resource for anyone navigating pre-death grief in an easy-to-read, four-page newsletter layout.

Q: How long does grief last?
A: One misconception is that grief occurs in a series of five stages. The truth, experts agree, is that grief doesn’t follow a predictable path. The grieving process can begin even before a loved one dies, when losses associated with illness and decline begin to mount.

No calendar can accurately predict your adjustment to loss. Typically, grief lessens over time, its intensity fades, and it becomes manageable. But it never truly disappears.

Have a questions about grief? Hospice Foundation of America's "Ask a Grief Expert" provides free, confidential guidance about grief and bereavement to patients, families, and healthcare and social service professionals. Ask an expert here: https://bit.ly/AskHFA

"Grief never ends. But it changes. It's a passage, not a place to stay. Grief is not a sign of weakness, nor a lack of faith. It is the price of love."
- Author unknown