Walking With Grief...

Grief is the journey toward carrying the pain which accompanies the memory of a person, or a time, or an event, which gave us the gift of carrying joy, or love, or fulfillment. You see, grief is the emotion cluster that represents the shift from the place we were, and the place we are. Grief accompanies loss. Grief accompanies death. As David Kessler, the well-renowned grief expert, has stated, ‘grief is the only club in which we all get to be a member.’  Grief is complicated. Grief is messy. Grief is not solely dedicated for those people who have died, who we loved deeply, though such a grief has echoes loudly resounding across a cavernous space which can feel untenable. Grief also appears for those with whom our relationships were complicated, conflicted, estranged, or even ended. Grief can feel unfinished, unheard, and unwanted. Yet, there it is. Grief shows up when we least expect it. Like an ocean wave with the power of a tornado, it sweeps over us and leaves behind fragments of ourselves. It is hard to breathe, to think, to sleep, to eat. Grief needs to be attended to. Grief needs an audience. Grief needs to be heard. When we get the gift of a caring journey with someone, something, or some event, we get the sojourn with the grief of that ending. For every beginning, there exists an end. Grief holds no boundary, and is to be honored, respected and cared for. Find supports with which to share about the loss. Respect the feelings. Honor the memories. Breathe.

Therapy can be very helpful in processing the endings, toward reconciling the beginnings which we did not seek to have. We can learn how to walk differently, breathe more purposely, and navigate this new road from a place of care, and presence.

You see… nothing happens in a vacuum… not even grief.

 © 2025: Donna J Clarke/Integrative Pathways Counseling, LLC. All rights reserved.