Steps That Can Help With the Grieving Process
1. Try to identify what it is that
doesn’t make sense to you about your loss.
2. Identify the emotions you feel
during each day.
3. State the steps or actions you are taking
to help you move ahead and overcome your loss.
4. Be sure you are sharing your loss
and grief with others who can listen to you and support you during this time.
5. It may help to find a person who
has experienced a similar loss.
6. Identify the positive characteristics
and strengths of your life that have helped you before.
7. Spend time reading in the Psalms
and when you pray, share your confusion, your feelings and your hopes with God.
8. Think about where you want to be in
your life two years from now.
9. Become familiar with the stages of
grief.
10. Remember that understanding your
grief intellectually is not sufficient
11. Identify secondary losses and
resolve any “unfinished business” with the lost person or thing.
12. Recognize that in addition to
grieving for the lost person, the grief will need to be experienced for any
dreams, expectations, or fantasies for the person.
13. When doing something unhealthy in
the grieving process such as avoidance, alcohol, overmedication, and in
general, lacking in coping skills, help give them other alternatives.
14. Provide helpful information about
what they are now experiencing such as trying to help them understand the
duration and process of grieving.
15. Help them understand that they will
want to avoid the intensity of the pain and that their grief will effect all
areas of life.
16. Help them find ways to replenish
themselves spiritually, socially, and physically.
17. Help them with the practical
problems following the loss such as helping to arrange for meals,
transportation, financial consultation, and even retraining that may be needed
for survival.
18. Finally, decide what you are
willing and able to do for the person, realizing that you cannot do it all, nor
should you.
1. Reflect on one of the earliest
significant losses in your life. When did it happen? How old were you? Where
was it? Who were the people involved?
What actually happened?
2. What were your feelings at the
time?
4. Did anyone give you suggestions or
advice on how to handle the loss?
5. Can you remember any statements
that have stayed with you through the years?
6. What did you learn then that may be
hindering the way you cope with your loss today?
7. What did you learn about loss as a
result of your early experiences?
